Britain has the opportunity to leverage strengths to build a green economy

Britain should be taking a cue from the US and following suit with investment in green technology that will create jobs for the future.

These are much needed high quality jobs. And it is clear from what businesses are saying that Government support is going to be needed.

The transition to net zero cannot be allowed to leave communities behind as happened 40 years ago when mines began to close across the country.

Jobs need to be in place before the transition begins to take effect. Unfortunately, the lack of leadership on net zero has created an environment of confusion. And there’s a very real danger that other countries are stealing a march on the UK.

Failure to create manufacturing jobs across places like Yorkshire will seed further resentment, not only against an overly-centralised UK government but also against the aims of net zero itself.

There already is a fear of the unknown when it comes to the transition. But it need not be this way because many people ultimately do care about the environment that they live in. They just don’t want to be left behind.

The IPPR’s report out today shows that Britain has strengths that it can leverage. Huddersfield for example is one of the top 10 places in the UK with the potential to benefit from demand for heat pumps.

Research shows green growth could deliver as much as £57bn to the UK economy. Why wouldn’t the UK take advantage of a trend that works towards the betterment of society as well.