The Low Carbon Economy

Global warming, Renewables, Eco Friendly, Low Carbon Economy and Sustainability are some of today’s most overused words. Scarcely a day goes by without a significant article appearing in the national press addressing the latest thinking about some aspect of these issues and in many ways the words have become inter changeable and their meaning clouded in uncertainty.

What we do know is that whichever term is used it is directed at climate change and from a business perspective, the significance cannot be underestimated both in developing opportunities and in complying with and reporting on standards...

The long run of continued economic growth we enjoyed in the UK and elsewhere up to the onset of the ‘credit crunch’ was driven by government and consumer spending both of which were funded by increased debt.

This has proved to be unsustainable and when we return to some kind of economic normality it will be an entirely different place in which to do business.

Couple that with the UK commitment to cap carbon emissions by law and it is clear that there are major business opportunities in low carbon products and services. Clearly many of these will be the reserve of major business due to the resources required but equally there are many opportunities for the SME sector.

One of the major difficulties for small business is the lack of stable government policy. Many of the opportunities are reliant on that have a limited lifespan and may be withdrawn without much warning. This all makes for a challenging business environment as long term planning is not always possible.

However businesses associated with low carbon growth have weathered the recession rather well and there is now a great opportunity with careful planning to take advantage of the incentives and opportunities available. It is tremendously exciting to see how companies of all sizes are promoting their green credentials in the way they develop their business. This in turn is creating demand for a whole range of low carbon goods and services be it advice on reducing the carbon footprint or supply of a solar panel.