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Richmond upon Thames Liberal Democrats:Covering the constituencies of Twickenham and Richmond Park |
Chris Huhne writes… The economics of low-carbon
March 11, 2011 5:41 PM
• [Mar 11] Chris Huhne* writes: WE Liberal Democrats need no convincing of the urgent need to tackle climate change. Indeed, that's why there's a Liberal Democrat minister heading the Department of Energy and Climate Change - one of the most important contributions we bring to the coalition government.
Not everyone in the UK, however, is yet so persuaded . . [so] we need to find new arguments to persuade those yet unconvinced . . I've been concentrating recently on the economic, rather than the environmental, case for the transformation to a low-carbon economy.
. . Recovery from a deep recession is not a respooling of the same old movie. The old industries do not just bounce back. It's about new industries leading the way - just as it was in the 1930s, when manufacturing of cars and electrical goods helped the UK fight its way out of recession. Britain can lead the way, in carbon capture and storage, for example, or in marine renewables, or in offshore wind, where our scientific, research and engineering strengths will stand us in good stead. The faster we move, the bigger and better our low-carbon industries will be, and the greater the share of that expanding world market will be ours. Clear green signals will spark more green investment.
So that's the economic case for the low-carbon transition. It's up to us, as Liberal Democrats, to argue for it just as strongly as we argue for the environmental case.
* Chris Huhne is MP for Eastleigh and Secretary of State, Energy and Climate Change
• Chris Huhne writes… The economics of low-carbon [Lib Dem Voice Mar 11]
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