Member News
Alistair Darling has said that investment in green industries is vital for Britain's economic future.
The chancellor pledged £1bn to help combat climate change and support low carbon industries and "green collar jobs".
And there is £2.5bn for business to encourage investment in the industries and high-paid high-skilled jobs of the future.
"In preparing for the future, Britain’s economic recovery must be sustainable and protect the environment," said Darling.
"These efforts also have the potential to create thousands of hi-tech businesses and hundreds of thousands of high-skilled jobs."
He also said there would be £405m of new funding to "encourage low-carbon energy and advanced green manufacturing in Britain".
Darling said this would "drive the application of new technology and invest in small scale projects".
Stakeholder Response: Chartered Insurance Institute
David Thomson Director of Policy and Public Affairs at the CII said:
"Much more must be done if we are to meet the challenges posed by climate change, and take advantage of the opportunities to 'grow our way out of the recession'. Current economic circumstances should not obscure the importance of acting now to address climate change."
"The CII recognises that the insurance industry needs to act now to adapt and mitigate the worst effects of climate change. Government support will be vital as the world negotiates a new international climate change deal to be agreed in Copenhagen later this year."
"We look to governments – not just the UK - to agree a framework that takes into account both mitigation of the worst dangers and adaptation that will allow the industry to play its full role in the fight against climate change".
Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd