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Political Parties United In Green Debate

Posted: 02/04/2005

Environmental delegates from the UK’s three main political parties have expressed their support for the growing environmental industry sector at a Pre-Election Debate held in the House of Commons by the Environmental Industries Commission1 (EIC). All agreed that new and cleaner technologies were key to confronting the challenge of climate change and other environmental problems. They also noted that environmental protection and economic growth went hand-in-hand, rather than being in conflict.

The Pre-Election Debate, attended by over 100 member companies, gave
the Labour, Tory, and Lib-Dem's an opportunity to respond to EIC’s Policy Manifesto, ‘Championing the Green Economy’, which calls on all three parties to lead a "green industrial revolution" - all three party spokesmen responded positively.

Adrian Wilkes, EIC Chairman, concluded that "The future looks bright for the UK’s environmental industry as the three main political parties are united in their desire to support a "green industrial revolution". They have realised that environmental protection and economic success can go hand in hand, creating jobs, profits and boosting the UK’s international competitiveness. EIC looks forward to working with the next Government on the policy details to fulfil this political commitment."

Environment Minister Elliot Morley MP described the environmental technology and services industry, employing 400,000 people and generating £25 billion in revenue annually, as the fastest-growing sector of the UK’s economy, and compared it to the aerospace and pharmaceutical industries. Morley pledged continued increases in the Environment Agency budget for enforcement, promised to harness the power of public procurement to mandate energy-saving technologies in buildings, and praised the efforts of EIC in getting the benefits of environmental regulations to industry on the regulatory agenda.

Robert Key MP, Conservative shadow minister for science and environment, also recognised the importance of developing new technologies, and said "environmentalism and profit are not mutually exclusive". Tory pledges included incentives for purchasers of cleaner vehicles, a target of zero carbon emissions from new buildings, and an easing of planning restrictions on producers of biofuels.

Norman Baker MP, Liberal Democrat environmental spokesman, noted that new technology is crucial to delivering environmental performance, and estimated the cost of preventable environmental damage at some £67 billion per year whereas high environmental standards would give UK industries a first-mover advantage over other countries. Baker also pointed to the disparity between VAT chargeable on brownfield regeneration and VAT-free greenfield developments as a perverse incentive that needed to be corrected. And he called for an expansion of the Environment Agency’s enforcement function and an increase in fines for environmental offences.

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