Chris Huhne

Government should do more to encourage green economy

Speaking to the think-tank Centre Forum today, Liberal Democrat Shadow Environment Secretary, Chris Huhne MP said:

“Some countries have gone astonishingly far towards a new green future. In Sweden, it is now realistic to talk about a fossil-free and nuclear-free future within fifteen years.

“Green businesses offer some of the best growth prospects of any over the coming decades, and any economy that invests early will have all the advantages, and potential market gains, of the first mover.

“The Emissions Trading Scheme has already opened up opportunities here in the City for traders and investors, and the possibility of a market that will soon dwarf almost every other commodity market.

“The role of the Government is to set a consistent market-friendly framework, through the use of market incentives like the emissions trading scheme, green taxes and regulation, that helps to shape business activity in a sustainable way.

“There should be no nonsense about being anti-growth. all we are doing with a green framework is directing growth towards sustainable and socially warranted aims. There is nothing new in principle about using the law to channel activities towards socially desirable ends.”