Tackling climate change can boost UK plc, says report

A new report from business leaders alliance, the Aldersgate Group, shows that tackling climate change can provide significant economic opportunities for the UK and make its economy far more competitive and resilient to shocks in the future.

The report, A Brighter, More Secure Future: Low carbon priorities for the new government, gathers contributions from leaders drawn from sectors as varied as the telecoms, manufacturing, finance, retail, construction, cement, energy and engineering consultancy industries as well as prominent academics, consumer groups and NGOs.

Nick Molho, executive director of the Aldersgate Group said: “The recommendations that business, academic and civil society leaders have set out in this report will help the UK meet its emission targets on time, on budget and in a way that’s economically beneficial. We urge the government to take note of them and put forward stable policies for the decade ahead.”

Responding to the report, Energy and Climate Change Secretary Amber Rudd said: “This report shows the scale of the economic opportunity around low-carbon growth. A technological revolution is already underway and the UK is powering ahead with innovation, enterprise and competition.

“We will push for an ambitious deal in Paris that helps create confidence and a level playing field for business to thrive while helping to combat climate change.”