Monday 21 February 2011

Business bosses join Green Economy Council

The Green Economy Council has held its first meeting to discuss how government and industry can work together to support the transition to a low carbon economy.

The council comprises business leaders from a cross-section of industries and sectors who will advise government on green-growth policies such as infrastructure, innovation, investment and unnecessary regulation.

The council brings together ministers from three key departments - the Department of Energy and Climate Change, the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills, and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

The council's first meeting was chaired by Business Secretary Vince Cable, who said: "The transition to a green economy brings both opportunities and challenges that we need to tackle now to achieve sustainable growth and meet climate change targets.

"We need to minimise the burdens on business and industry during this transition, while we create the necessary conditions for green growth and investment in the green economy."

Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman said: "The Green Economy Council is an opportunity to work with top industry figures for the good of both businesses and the environment."

One of the council members if Intelligent Energy chief executive Henry Winand. He said: "Further accelerating the commercial growth of low carbon business and the widespread adoption of cleaner, more efficient technologies in the UK will benefit greatly from the creation of the Green Economy Council.

"A forum for business and industry leaders to engage regularly with the ministers of three key government departments, to share vision, exchange ideas and develop strategy, represents an unprecedented opportunity to help shape future government policy."

Also on the council is Centrica's new markets managing director Gearoid Lane, who added: "The green economy will be a very significant platform for growth, offering the prospect of many thousands of new jobs." He said he hoped the council would "play a proactive role in advising government on how to realise the benefits available for the UK".

Other council members include bosses from Ford, Tata Steel, IBM and John Lewis, and representatives of the TUC and Prospect.