Seminar: Towards a Green Collar Europe, 8 May 2008
How can the EU grow jobs and sustain competitiveness in a low-carbon economy?
The Delivering Global Europe seminar series is intended to encourage a British and European conversation about how we can ensure the EU delivers real value for UK and EU citizens.
Video by British Satellite News
Towards a Green Collar Europe
Date: 8 May 2008
Venue: Lancaster House, London
Speakers:
- Jim Murphy MP, Minister for Europe
- Jean-Piere Jouyet, French Minister of State for European Affairs
- George Parker, Financial Times
- Stephen Hale, Green Alliance
- Nick Mabey, Third Generation Environmentalism
Participants included senior figures from business, civil society and trade unions.
Seminar discussions
Participants agreed that the shift to low carbon could create new opportunities for jobs and growth in the EU. New markets were likely to emerge in transport, infrastructure and construction. Trade with major emerging economies such as China offered significant prospects for growth and jobs in Europe.
Delivering the transition would require genuine changes to business models for all sectors; investment to keep Europe at the forefront of technological innovation; and strengthened and predictable regulation; and for further work to develop energy efficient standards. The Ecodesign Directive had an important role here.
There would be significant costs associated with the re-framing the economy towards low carbon growth. But the costs of inaction were greater than those of action. One speaker noted that shifting energy investment patterns from high to low carbon could free up between $11-13 trillion dollars by 2030. Others noted the opportunities for financing arising from re-focussing of the EU budget on low carbon growth; and for consideration to be given to recycling of ETS auctioning revenues. Participants noted the importance of including business and employees in the process of change.
Looking ahead, participants noted the need to more closely integrate the Lisbon jobs and growth strategy with the EU's climate change objectives.
Related documents
Jim Murphy MP: "A million UK workers in environmental industries within the next two decades"
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How can Europe create a high-growth, low-carbon economy?
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