Maximising the potential of green business
Ensuring the UK economy benefits from tackling energy and climate change challenges
Read The Colour of Growth report (pdf) >>
Infographic: How the UK can make the most of green growth
Since the launch in 2007 of the CBI’s ground-breaking publication, Climate Change: Everyone’s Business, the political and economic landscape has changed dramatically and both government and business are faced with a new set of challenges.
In a double-dip recession, there are some who are questioning whether there is still room for “going green”. The business response is definitive and emphatic: green is not just complementary to growth, but is a vital driver of it. And not just for companies traditionally defined as “green”.
Volker Beckers, group CEO RWE npower, Graham van’t Hoff, chairman Shell UK Ltd, Ben Verwaayen, CEO Alcatel-Lucent and chair of the CBI Energy and Climate Change Board and Tom Crotty, chairman Ineos ChlorVinyls share their views on the business opportunities provided by the low-carbon transition.
In the CBI’s new report The Colour of Growth: Maximising the Potential of Green Business the promise of the low-carbon transition is made clear. Green business in the UK has continued to grow in real terms, carving out a £122bn share of a global market worth £3.3 trillion, and in 2014/15, it is expected to roughly halve the UK’s trade deficit.
This positive trend is expected to continue but we cannot expect it to happen on its own. A smarter and more strategic policy approach is needed to unlock business investment, drive markets, and excite consumers.
Volker Beckers, group CEO RWE npower, Ben Verwaayen, CEO Alcatel-Lucent and chair of the CBI Energy and Climate Change Board and Tom Crotty, chairman Ineos ChlorVinyls highlight the need for a strategic approach to the low-carbon transition.
With a smarter approach, green business could add £20bn to the UK economy by 2014/15. This is an opportunity we cannot afford to miss.
Read John Cridland's key note speech from the report launch here >>
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