‘Green’ manufacturing faltering, says EEF19 February 2013

The UK's position as the sixth largest producer and provider of low carbon goods and services is faltering, with manufacturing output contracting. That's according to a report from the manufacturers' organisation, EEF.

The report – 'Tech for Growth, delivering green growth through technology' – also shows that the UK is placed towards the bottom of the OECD countries in government research spending on climate and energy-related R&D.

EEF head of climate and environment policy Gareth Stace said: "The low carbon economy represents a massive opportunity for manufacturers and a major prize for our economy. If we can build an early lead in key areas we have the chance to export our solutions to the rest of the world.

"But we are currently failing to take advantage of this opportunity to be a world leader in low carbon goods and services. We need government to set out its vision of manufacturing's place in the low carbon economy, focus more on innovation and provide greater regulatory stability and predictability to unlock investment in breakthrough technologies that will deliver it."

To address this, EEF is calling on government to set out a clear vision by the end of this year for UK manufacturing in a low carbon economy to provide certainty for large scale, long-term market opportunities.

Ken Hurst

Related Companies
EEF (Engineering Employers Federation)

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