Benn lauds the low-carbon revolution

by Catherine Woods - Friday, 16th May 2008 - (1) comment

Environment Secretary Hilary Benn has urged more people to pursue eco-preneurial ventures saying the environmental industries are going to be “more significant in the future”.

Speaking to Real Buiness, Benn says: “The environmental industry, in a broad sense, is worth £25bn a year, employs 400,000 people and it’s forecast to double in the next few years.

“It shows what is possible and I really hope more people will get into them. There are tales of success, innovation and new engineering to be told. It’s a great success story; this is the low-carbon revolution.”

Benn is convinced that in the future “successful economies are going to be low carbon”. While some studies indicate the cost of going green is putting some small businesses off, Benn doesn’t think it should be an issue: “There’s going to be a temptation in these circumstances for some people to say ‘the economy has to come first and the environment is going to have to wait for a bit’… I think that would be a profound mistake."

He cites the Stern Report and the compelling economic argument for acting now to combat climate change. “Who’s up for spending more later?” he asks.

“If you stop and contemplate what the consequence of runaway climate change would be, the economic impact would be devastating.”

Picture source

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1 Comments

July 09, 2008 9:27pm
susan thomas Says:

One day politicians will realise the damage that has been wrought by the green party fallacy that carbon is the root of all evil. The Emperor's New Clothes will be revealed to be nothing but political propaganda to win votes for the Green party. I have witnessed their machinations at very close hand. The beauty of the trick is that in 50 years, none of us will be alive to witness the probable fact that our weather will be as variable and unpredictable as God intended it to be. Like King Canute we cannot turn back the tide nor control the weather.