George Osborne has today launched the UK’s first trading markets for green companies.
Speaking at the London Stock Exchange, the Shadow Chancellor said this innovation would, in years to come, be seen as a “milestone” towards making the City of London the best place in the world for green investment.
George went on to say that ideas like this will “help to bring to an end the stale argument that we have to choose between economic growth and the environment”, which he said had always been a “false choice”.
He pointed to research by the Environment Agency, who have calculated that British manufacturing could increase its profits by up to £3 billion if environmental best practices become standard across the board, and the International Labour Organisation, who have said that 20 million new jobs could be created globally in the green technology sector in the years ahead.
George concluded by stating that this approach was part of the “new British economic model” proposed by the Conservatives, of a more stable and balanced low carbon economy.
Read George's speech in full