DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
AND CLIMATE CHANGE News Release (Reference: 2009/025) issued by COI
News Distribution Service. 6 March 2009
A new industrial
activism was today placed at the heart of the Government's
emerging Low Carbon Industrial Strategy as new figures showed the
UK green goods and services sector is already the 6th biggest in
the world.
Gordon Brown, Peter Mandelson and Ed Miliband were meeting
business leaders at a Low Carbon Industrial Summit in London to
map out the UK's industrial priorities for taking advantage
of the new global low carbon economy - currently estimated to be
worth £3 trillion globally and employing over 880,000 people in
the UK.
A pamphlet published today, 'Low Carbon Industrial Strategy:
a Vision', highlights a range of companies in the UK already
taking advantage of low carbon opportunity and sets out the scope
and ambition of the Government's plans. Businesses and
others with an interest are asked for their input through a new
interactive website to inform a final Strategy to be published
before the summer.
Business Secretary Peter Mandelson said:
"Low carbon is not a sector of our economy, it is, or will
be, our whole economy, and a global market. Today we are asking
what more needs to be done to ensure these changes benefit the UK
economy, and what needs to be done to equip British companies to
compete for low carbon business in Britain and overseas. A low
carbon industrial strategy must seize the opportunities that will
come with change. That requires a new industrial activism for a
new green industrial revolution."
Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband said:
"Tackling climate change doesn't just make moral sense,
it makes economic sense too.
"The shift to low carbon in the UK, and around the world is
now largely inevitable. What is not inevitable is that Britain
benefits industrially from the transition. We want to mobilise
every bit of expertise and ingenuity that Britain has to offer.
"Moving to a low carbon economy is the way to secure the
economic recovery and growth we need at home and take a lead
internationally to protect the future of the planet."
The Government's Low Carbon Industrial Strategy will aim for
step change in four key areas:
* Energy efficiency to save businesses, consumers and the public
services money
* Putting in place the energy infrastructure for the UK's
low carbon future - in renewables, nuclear, Carbon Capture and
Storage and a 'smart' grid
* Making the UK a global leader in the development and production
of low carbon vehicles
* Ensuring our skills, infrastructure, procurement, research and
development, demonstration and deployment policies make the UK the
best place to locate and develop a low carbon business and make
sure international business recognises that.
New independent research by Innovas is published today. 'Low
Carbon and Environmental Goods and Services: an industry
analysis' shows:
* The UK is already the 6th largest low carbon and environmental
goods and services (LCEGS) economy.
* In 2007/8 it was worth £107 billion to the UK economy, and
could grow by another £45billion over the next decade.
* There are already over 880,000 jobs in the Low Carbon
Environmental Goods and Services sector when the supply chain is
included. If employment grows at projected rates, an additional
400,000 jobs could be created in the next decade.
* Just under one third (31%) of overall activity is in manufacturing
* The global market for the low carbon and environmental goods
and services sector is estimated to be worth £3 trillion.
Notes for editors
1. The summit was attended by 200 people from government,
business, trade unions, industry bodies and environmental groups.
2. 'Low Carbon Industrial Strategy: a Vision' is
published today on a new interactive website for direct and
ongoing engagement with business http://www.hmg.gov.uk/lowcarbon.
3. New research 'Low Carbon and Environmental Goods and
Services: an industry analysis' by Innovas is published http://www.berr.gov.uk/lowcarbon
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