One of the biggest arguments about acting on climate change in recent times has been the effect on the economy and that meaningful action will result in negative growth.
I had one of those real “A Ha” moments when I met the British Foreign Secretary the Rt. Hon. William Hauge MP at the launch of the E-idea program. It was refreshing to see a senior political leader committed to a low carbon future and to also back that statement up with meaningful legislation and action. (The UK Climate Change Act 2008 sets a target of 80% reduction in CO2 by 2050 based on the 1990 baseline)
A really interesting fact is that between 1990 and 2005 the British economy grew 30% while greenhouse gas emissions fell by more than 12%. Also during the recession which hit the UK particularly hard, the low carbon sector was one of the areas to show healthy growth. The estimate is that Britain’s share of the global industry in low carbon goods and services is valued up to $180 billion and employs nearly a million people.
It was also good to see local Sydney MP Malcolm Turnbull in the crowd and I hope that more local politicians and leaders are paying attention. If you ever needed an argument for climate change action and economic growth I do recommend taking a look at what the UK is doing.
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