Aldersgate Group

Some of the UK's largest businesses and green groups have called on the Chancellor to deliver on the Government's commitment to be "the greenest ever". In an open letter published in the run up to the Budget, it calls for a credible growth strategy that catalyses investment in renewables and energy efficiency, spurring the economic recovery. 

Peter Young, Chairman of the Aldersgate Group, said: "The Chancellor's view that businesses and jobs will be lost in the pursuit of green goals seems to signal a return to a 1980s view of the environmental performance of the economy as a net cost, and to row back from previous statements made by this Government. On the contrary, as this letter makes clear, good environmental performance is now a prerequisite for economic competitiveness and growth in a resource constrained world."

For more on this story click here.

We are looking for a motivated, enthusiastic individual educated to degree standard in a relevant discipline, to join our team as Policy Officer. This is an opportunity to work with major corporates, NGOs, industry associations and high profile individuals to work for real change in the UK policy landscape.

The successful candidate will have excellent written and oral communication skills, a sound understanding of environmental issues and policy making process and a desire to contribute to the green agenda. For a full job specification and candidate profile, see the adjacent pdf.

To apply, send a covering letter (max 1 side A4) and CV (max 2 sides A4), with a sample of your written work (max 2 sides A4), to Victoria Fleming-Williams (vfwilliams@aldersgategroup.org.uk). The closing date is Monday 2nd April at 5pm. Interviews will be held w/c 2nd or w/c 9th April at our offices in central London. The successful candidate will be invited to start immediately

The Government's Resource Security Action Plan, published today, cites the Aldersgate Group's Beyond Carbon report as evidence for the need for a targeted resource strategy, and answers our call to develop a dashboard to raise awareness and help companies understand the risk and issues associated with the security of materials.

Peter Young, Chairman of the Aldersgate Group, said: "The era of plentiful and cheaper resources is over. Our business members are facing rising costs for essential raw materials and minerals, while constraints on their availability and price volatility are having a damaging effect on the economy.

That is why the Aldersgate Group has been calling for a strategy which goes beyond carbon to address critical resource efficiency challenges in all areas of the economy, to remain competitive in global markets, both now and in the future. The Government's action plan is a welcome first step to ensure that growth isn't damaged by potential supply uncertainty and the UK gains competitive advantage from increased resilience."

For Guardian coverage, click here.

Peter Young, Chairman of the Aldersgate Group (AG), told Bloomberg that the GIB should be able to issue bonds to help finance clean-energy projects such as renewable technologies from April 2013. He said that "the earlier bonds are issued, the faster we should get the Green Investment Bank leveraging off institutional investors and deploying capital at the scale the low carbon transition needs to meet our carbon targets and economic imperatives." For the full Bloomberg article, click here.

Commenting on the announcement on location a few days later, Peter said,  "We welcome the decision and in particular the opportunity for the GIB to have a dual presence in both London and Edinburgh. This will ensure proximity to the London financial centre which will be vital, but also create a talent pool based nearer some of the key markets for low carbon project delivery, such as Scottish marine renewables. We look forward to swift recruitment to build the excellent expertise necessary to build market confidence in the GIB."

Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Caroline Flint, moved an Opposition debate in the House of Commons on 5th March on jobs and growth in a low-carbon economy. For further information click here.

The motion called on the Government to bring forward an active industrial strategy for low-carbon growth by providing a stable policy framework to unlock private investment, improving public procurement, developing a low-carbon skills strategy and encourage manufacturing. This followed a speech Caroline Flint gave at the Aldersgate Group (click here), cited in the Commons debate, that outlined the details for such a strategy.

In addition, Vince Cable gave a speech on the 27th Feb on the next step's for an industrial strategy and what role the Government can, and should, play in relation to specific sectors, technologies, and public procurement. For further information, click here.

A new Aldersgate Group report, Building Britain, suggests that progress has been made by Government in shaping the regulatory and fiscal framework for sustainable buildings in the UK. However, the industry's prospects of delivering on carbon reduction targets whilst remaining competitive is still somewhat hampered by a lack of clarity, consistency and effective enforcement.

Jon Lovell, Director of Sustainability at Drivers Jonas Deloitte, who authored the report, said: "With the rising cost of energy having such a clear impact on the bottom line of business, and on the health and well being of a growing proportion of society, the government must re-double its efforts in pushing forward with a joined-up programme of effective and proportionate regulation, particularly on the efficiency agenda."

To read the report, click here and to read the press release, click here. To read an article in the Guardian on this report, "The path to sustainable growth in the built environment", click here.

An open letter to Ed Davey was published in the Sunday Telegraph (12th February), signed by the AG alongside key businesses. It supports the need for credible long-term policies and vocal ministerial support across Government, to give businesses sufficient certainty to invest in the UK's transition to a low carbon economy. Other signatories included Kingfisher, M&S, National Grid, RSA, Thames Water, Unilever, Vodafone and WWF.

The full letter can be read in the pdf adjacent.

The Aldersgate Group's lead on best-value regulation, Terry A'Hearn, has told the Cambridge Sustainability Network that we need to reinvent our regulatory systems in face of new challenges.

He said, "We need a regulatory revolution because the nature of the challenges societies must confront in the 21st century is fundamentally different from those of the 20th century. The major challenges of the 21st century are systemic in nature. They will throw into question the resilience of our systems." New regulations should reduce public expenditure and be made redundant through its own success over a 10-year period, as well as increase profitability to business.

To watch a 5 minute video or read the article, click here.

Speaking at an Aldersgate Group (AG) event, the DECC Shadow Secretary of State has challenged the Coalition Government's green credentials and called for an industrial strategy to promote green growth. She argued against the view that economic growth and environmental sustainability are inherently irreconcilable saying, "We can grow our economy and benefit the planet."

To read the Guardian article covering this speech, click here.

The Aldersgate Group and UK Green Building council have urged the Education Secretary not to scrap BREEAM requirement for new schools. In a joint letter to Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, they argue that the cost of a school achieving an "excellent" BREEAM standard would be far outweighed by the resulting saving on energy bills.

For more information, see the Guardian coverage here.