The controversy over whether the 'green' economy is a good or a bad thing for UK PLC has been given a positive boost by one of the country's most influential groups.
A new report from the CBI claims that green policies are a 'vital driver' of economic growth, and that a straight choice between going green or boosting economic growth is a false one.
In a rare moment of confidence in what has been an otherwise gloomy month for fiscal predictions, the CBI say that the UK could become a leader in low-carbon products and services, and that cutting edge research and development in the UK could also have long-term implications for global green economics for years to come. ??The study found that maximising the UK's green growth potential could result in a £20bn boost to GDP by 2014-15, and an improvement in trade balance of almost £0.8bn - especially good news just after the country has received a recovery downgrade from the EMF. Green business now accounts for nearly 8% of the country's GDP, and currently supports nearly a million jobs.
Many of those jobs are in green energy production, and in a market where traditional fossil fuels are struggling, the 'green' options such as bio-energy are holding their own.
"We applaud the CBI's positive statement on going green," comments EDW Service Delivery Director, Graham Paul. "And they are also absolutely right in saying that the green economy isn't a case of either/or - we have to realise that in the future, green energy and products are going to form a fundamental part of our economy and growth. Without the 'green' pound, not only will we struggle environmentally, but financially as well," he adds.