Following the publication of our Green and Growth report yesterday, I was encouraged to hear Greg Barkers, Minister of State for DECC, echo our key messages that carbon reduction and rebalancing the economy are integrally linked and that manufacturers will need to be at the heart of the green economy. Speaking at the Associated Parliamentary Manufacturers Group this morning, the Minister said that the government and industry must work together to provide a strong industrial base to build up the green economy.

These messages mirrored Terry Scuoler’s speech at the launch of Solutions for Growing and Green Economy at a well-attended parliamentary reception last night.

Mr Scuoler highlighted that the manufacturing sector is already making big progress towards cutting its emissions, and will be at the forefront of providing the technological solutions to climate change, but that we risked undermining growth and missing out on green business opportunities if our policy focuses solely on relentlessly loading costs on industry.

Mr Scuoler said “we believe there is a better way. So, in this report we argue for a change in our approach that we believe will help us grow our economy and better meet our environmental goals.”

EEF’s report was been well received and has built on the strong relationships we have developed with NGOs, sector organisations, and member companies. I am now looking forward to working in partnership with government to deliver on both growth and green.

The Environmental Audit Committee has today published a report saying that the Government’s “schizophrenic attitude” to climate policy was undermining confidence and long term certainty.

The report comes just a week after the Chancellor, George Osborne, speech at the Conservative party conference, in which he said that the UK should cut “carbon emissions no slower but also no faster than our fellow countries in Europe”.

Both statements revolve around the decision by the Government to review the fourth carbon budget in 2014. Although the report rightly acknowledges the very serious threat to economic growth that climate change policy could have on the UK manufacturing sector, the committee insists that the recommended carbon budgets, should be regarded as an absolute minimum.

But is there merit in a review the carbon budget targets in 2014? Any target adopted must reflect what is achievable at a cost which can be sustained. Surely damaging the UK economy without achieving significant global GHG reductions is not the way forward. Indeed in his speech at the party conference the Chancellor aid that “a decade of environmental laws and regulations are piling costs on the energy bills of households and companies” and that the UK is “not going to save the planet by putting our country out of business”.

What is needed from the UK is to provide a leadership role, one that shows that decarbonising and growing the economy go hand in hand. We need policy decisions that are based on a robust and agreed evidence base. It can be argued that policy making without the full evidence has led to the current policy landscape that is often confused, conflicting and costly.