The Engineering Employers Federation (EEF) shot down comments from chancellor Alistair Darling who recently claimed businesses were benefiting from the ‘green jobs revolution’. It said Britain was more likely to miss the boat. It points out that around 90 per cent of the money earmarked for Britain’s biggest off-shore wind farm is being spent on overseas contractors, with just £180m going to UK firms. “In Germany you get government sitting down with business and saying, this is what the targets are for renewable energy and what do you need to provide the kind of necessary capacity,” EEF head of climate change and environment policy, Gareth Stace, told the Guardian newspaper. “Lord Mandelson [the business secretary] has brought a sense of urgency, but it still requires a different mindset to push the boundaries of state aid like other countries do. We have missed the boat on onshore wind and risk doing the same offshore,” he added. But in the same newspaper in December Darling had earlier claimed that clean energy goals would create half a million new jobs. “By addressing investment barriers we’ve released billions of pounds for offshore wind, ultra low-carbon vehicles, marine energy and low-carbon aerospace. Green industries alone could support a further half a million jobs over the next decade. None of this would happen without support,” he wrote in the Guardian. Related articles:What you want from Copenhagen
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.