Politics and business clash over low carbon future

Despite coming together today to wax lyrical over the potential of low carbon technologies, an MP and a head of business disagreed over exactly who should be responsible for driving […]

Despite coming together today to wax lyrical over the potential of low carbon technologies, an MP and a head of business disagreed over exactly who should be responsible for driving interest into the sector.

The global financial crisis has affected the low carbon economy, as some businesses prefer to cut costly green measures over others. Yvo de Boer, Special Global Advisor, Climate Change and Sustainability at KPMG said those in charge needed to create the right framework: “The business community is held back by a lack of political leadership. We need less of a glass half-empty approach and more glass half-full thinking.”

Meanwhile MP Andrew Miller said it was in fact businesses who had to convince politicians: “Yes, but we need informed leadership.” As Chair of the Government’s Science and Technology Select Committee he said he wanted to hear from the experts more often: “It’s not all top down- when we call for evidence we need to hear your expertise.”

Both were speaking at the Carbon Show in London.

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