First minister Alex Salmond says creating a sustainable low carbon economy presents enormous opportunities for investment and growth for Scottish businesses.

Speaking at the Duke of Rothesay’s Sustainable Scotland Summit at Holyrood Palace, First Minister Alex Salmond said: “Creating a sustainable low carbon economy and tackling climate change presents enormous opportunities for investment and growth that Scottish businesses must seize to ensure future success for their organisation and our environment.

“The backbone of Scotland’s low carbon strategy is increasing the supply of green energy. Scotland has the natural resources and ambition to become the green energy powerhouse of Europe, with a quarter of Europe’s tidal energy resource and a tenth of its potential wave capacity.

An estimated 60,000 green jobs could be created by 2020 in low carbon industries and businesses across Scotland, in addition to the 70,000 jobs that already exist in low carbon sectors.

The Climate Change (Scotland) Act sets ambitious targets to reduce emissions by at least 42 per cent by 2020 and 80 per cent by 2050.