‘UK must innovate for green economic recovery’
Experimentation will be ket to plans, says Minister
MORE “EXPERIMENTATION and innovation” is needed to put the environment at the heart of rebooting the economy following coronavirus, Environment Secretary George Eustice will say today.
In an online speech at a Green Alliance event, Mr Eustice will set out Government plans to boost the environment after Brexit and throughout the economic recovery, but he will also warn of the negative impacts that European Union environmental law has had on protecting nature.
And he will announce plans to “simplify” the environmental impact assessments some developments have to undertake, in the wake of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s promise to “build, build, build” out of the economic crisis.
But the bid comes amid warnings that without extending the Job Retention Scheme for some industry sectors by six months, the Government risks a loss of highly skilled jobs on a scale not seen since the 1980s.
The manufacturing organisation, Make UK, said a survey of 170 firms suggested that the number planning to make redundancies in the next six months has risen to 53 per cent despite a gradual improvement in sales and orders.
But Mr Eustice will today put a green recovery at the centre of Government plans, building on promises made by Chancellor Rishi Sunak in the summer update on July 8 and a focus on creating green jobs.
Mr Eustice will say that governments had became reluctant to make new commitments in the face of legal risks under EU regulations, that not enough scientists were involved, and there were “too many reports but not enough action”.
“Our approach must create the space for more experimentation and innovation,” he said.
However as well as investing in green projects, the Government was urged to extend the furlough scheme, specifically for the automotive and aerospace sectors, which have been particularly badly hit by the impact of the pandemic.
Make UK said its call for specific measures for these sectors would only be equivalent to moves taken by major European competitors in Germany, France and Italy.
Chief executive Stephen Phipson said: “There is no disguising the fact these redundancy plans make for very painful reading.
“As well as the distressing personal impact on livelihoods across the UK, industry cannot afford to lose these high value skills which will be essential to rebuilding our economy and investing in the industries of the future.
“At present, the prospect of a V-shaped recovery for industry seems remote. Therefore, if we are to mitigate the worst impact of potential job losses, the Government must extend the furlough scheme for key strategic sectors to provide them with vital breathing space.”