Clean growth key to deliver new viable jobs

Reacting to the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s economic update, Signe Norberg, Public Affairs Manager at Aldersgate Group, said: “We welcome the new measures announced today by the Chancellor to safeguard jobs and businesses over the winter months. To deliver the “new opportunities” and “viable jobs” the Chancellor wants to see created across the economy, the Government must align its upcoming stimulus measures and policy interventions to support growing investment in low carbon solutions and infrastructure. Areas such as renewable energy, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, industrial decarbonisation and nature restoration deliver high economic growth multipliers in the short and long term. [1] This can help put UK businesses in a competitive position in the growing global market for low carbon goods, which is expected to be worth more than £1 trillion a year by 2030. [2]”

Signe Norberg added: “It is also vital that the Government looks to introduce further support and training to equip the current and future workforce with the skills that are required for this transition. As set out in our forthcoming report on skills [3], a national ‘low carbon skills and levelling up strategy’ is urgently needed. Sustainability urgently needs to be embedded across the educational curriculum, alongside reforms to apprenticeship standards and T-levels. Together, this will support the Government’s vision for “building back better” and ensure the UK can capitalise on the markets of the future.”