It's not quite green shoots, but Business Secretary Peter Manelson has seen the future and it looks green.
Speaking to the Cumbria Economic Forum, Lord Mandelson brushed off the economic doomsters, claiming that the road to recovery rests in a new (and low carbon) industrial revolution.
More generally, though, he underlined the need to respond to the recession by preparing for the future:
"Some might argue that the current uncertainty of recession makes this the wrong time to focus so intensely on the future. I disagree. A recession is partly a reflection of how we see the future. As well as helping families and firms through the downturn, it is the duty of government to set out a map of our economic future that reassures and inspires. Turning the clock back is not an option. In fighting back against the current banking crisis, Britain needs to re-shape and re-balance our economy in the future."
The emphasis is mine, but Lord Mandelson's message is absolutely critical. The UK can't simply wait for the recession to run its course and return to a decade of debt-fueled growth. Nor should we hark back to the era of heavy-handed government intervention and inefficient inudustry.
Rather we've got to begin building a better balanced economy. And for government that means taking a more proactive approach to backing clean and green technologies and other high-value, fast growing markets where the UK has a natual competitive advantage.