Green is good for business

8.08.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 22nd Jun 2006

Lib Dem Councillor Ben Prescott welcomes the view of business leaders: that being green is good for business.

The Corporate Leaders Group on Climate Change, set up by Prince Charles, includes Shell, Tesco, Vodaphone, B&Q, and Standard and Chartered Bank.

For the second year running, the group has written to the Prime Minister arguing that

• strict carbon reduction targets will make British firms more energy efficient, and so more profitable

• government policies need to provide incentives for development of low carbon technologies, and so give British companies an edge when global markets for these technologies expand

'Last year, Bournemouth Council debated energy efficiency of new homes in the town in response to a motion and questions I tabled,' says Councillor Prescott.

'My point is that, aside from "doing our bit", a market at home for green technologies is important for future UK competitiveness.'

'As a result of domestic policies, Denmark's third largest export is wind turbines; Danish companies have almost two thirds of the global market. A UK company is leading the world on wave power, yet is producing the first commercial installation for Portugal.'

'It's sad that Conservative Councillors in Bournemouth are on record saying that as Britain generates such a small proportion of world carbon emissions, we should do nothing,' adds Ben Prescott.

'This from the party of business?'

'And it's clear the Tories aren't changing, whatever David Cameron says.'

Related Links:

Carbon Trust: 'Carbon set to cost UK businesses £570m this summer'.

BBC: 'Tycoons urging Blair to curb CO2'.

Business and the Environment Programme.

Corporate Leaders Group.