CBI: Government must retain climate change focus

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has told the government that the global recession should not be used as an excuse to ignore climate change.

Instead, the CBI said the government must up the pace of its climate change action if it plans to meet its 80% greenhouse gas reduction target by 2050.

Speaking at the CBI’s climate change summit in London this week, CBI director-general Richard Lambert told delegates that the government must show leadership on climate change and should do everything it can to meet the ambitions emissions reduction targets.

Lambert believes that if the government fails to act now, Britain could lose secure access to a consistent energy supply.

He said that the global economic crisis must not be an excuse for failing to take action on climate change.

Instead, businesses should see going green as an opportunity to improve efficiency and become market leaders in a relatively new sector.

Lambert added that the government must transform its ambitious targets into action, because green technologies will help British businesses become more efficient and cut costs.

The great 1930s depression, Lambert concluded, was solved by building roads and bridges. What this crisis needs is a revolution in green technology.