Brown must show new approach to economy and environment

The green campaign group is urging the Government to announce a range of measures on Monday (24 November 2008) to develop safe, clean sources of renewable power and improve energy efficiency in transport, manufacturing and buildings.

This would create significant new business opportunities that could help start a green industrial revolution, stimulate thousands of new jobs, cut fuel bills, reduce our dependency on fossil fuels and help create a thriving economy - while at the same time helping to tackle climate change.

US President-elect Barack Obama has already signalled his intention to become a world leader on global warming with plans to create five million green collar jobs by investing billions of dollars in a clean energy future.

Friends of the Earth is pushing Gordon Brown to show he is prepared to follow suit by ensuring that the environment is at the heart of his Government's Pre-Budget Report.

Friends of the Earth's executive director, Andy Atkins, said:

"A huge investment in clean, green energy and cutting energy waste is urgently needed to boost our flagging economy and tackle climate change.

"The Government's Pre-Budget Report must be the catalyst for a fresh approach to both the economy and the environment.

"The development of a low carbon economy would create exciting new business opportunities and tens of thousands of green-collar jobs - as well as cutting fuel bills and reducing our reliance on the yo-yoing costs and mounting insecurity of fossil fuels such as oil and gas."

This will be the first PBR since the Government agreed to an 80 per cent cut in greenhouse gases in its Climate Change Bill - which Friends of the Earth led the campaign for. The Government must now take the steps needed to achieve this target.