UK PM promises “green recovery”, including 400 thousand jobs in green industries

Wednesday, 08 April 2009 07:55

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown promises in an exclusive interview with the Independent newspaper that an environmentally friendly Budget will be unveiled later this month to kick start a "green recovery" – including the mass introduction of electric cars in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Brown says Britain wants to be "a world leader" in producing and exporting electric cars, hybrid petrol-electric vehicles and lighter cars using less petrol. Trials for electric cars in two or three cities will begin next year. City councils will be invited to bid to become Britain's first "green cities". The British government will open talks with power companies to ensure the vehicles can have their batteries recharged at a national network of power points at the roadside.

The forthcoming budget will also set a target of creating 400,000 jobs in "green industries" over the next five years.

Other green measures to be outlined by the Government shortly include relaxing planning rules to allow the building of more wind farms to ensure Britain hits its target to generate 15 per cent of its energy from renewable sources by 2020. "Smart meters" will eventually be installed in every home so people can see how much energy they use. Ministers also want to develop a "clean coal" industry by approving an experiment with carbon capture and storage.

According to the Prime Minister, the jobs of the future would come from a "green revolution" and an expansion in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, health care, education, the creative industries, information technology, bioscience and advanced manufacturing.

Mr Brown struck an upbeat note about the United Nations-led talks on a new climate change treaty, to be held in Copenhagen in December. Despite fears that President Obama might not be ready to sign up by then, Mr Brown insisted: "He is determined to move the environmental agenda forward."

He added: "We have been brought down by a global banking crisis. We in Britain are capable and well placed – with our natural strength and our enterprising past and present, to be able to meet all these challenges in the future."

(Source: the Independent)