Green Growth

'My concern is with growth that is green'

CBI boss John Cridland yesterday argued that we need to drive greener business models into the mainstream - here is his speech in full

24 May 2011 - First things first. I don't think the right focus is on green growth. My concern is with growth that is green. We mustn't fall into the trap of seeing a green economy as if it's something different to the economy as a whole. Talk about green jobs as if they're any different to mainstream ones. Say we have green industries as if they're in competition with traditional ones.

By compartmentalising green business we belittle it. Because this is an issue that matters to us all, not just a few specialists. We mustn't ghettoise it but include it as part of the puzzle for fixing the whole economy.

The Green Investment Bank is a great opportunity for growth. The question is, will it work? What the deputy prime minister has just said gives me some encouragement. It certainly won't work if it needs the Treasury's permission to blow its nose. The bank needs to be able to get into the markets itself and do what it's intended to do.

And it won't give investors certainty if it's not enshrined in law so I welcome the Deputy Prime Minister's decision on that. We need to see a real timeline for when this is going to be delivered or it's not going to give the promised certainty. {continued}