Al Gore urges UK government to deliver climate action

Former Vice President of the United States, Al Gore, and the Director-General of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), John Cridland, urged UK businesses to embrace the economic benefits of a low-carbon economy at a major event in London on Tuesday.

Gore and Cridland spoke at a climate leadership event in central London hosted by Green Alliance, in association with the CBI, and called on the government to put the UK in a stronger position in the build up to the key United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris in December.

Speakers at the event addressed the need to accelerate technological development and political action to create further momentum towards a low-carbon economy.

Gore highlighted the impacts of climate change and the benefits of transitioning to a low-carbon economy and he also encouraged the UK to provide international leadership on climate action.

Cridland said that decisiveness and a clear direction from the international community is critical to developing long term business investment in a low carbon future.

The CBI Director-General said: “Business must be – and wants to be – part of the solution to tackling the global challenge of climate change… The green economy is an emerging market in its own right, brimming with opportunity, and the UK has built up real credibility on climate leadership and low carbon investment. Yet, with the roll-back of renewables policies and the mixed messages on energy efficiency, the government risks sending a worrying signal to businesses.

Cridland added: “We need all countries to pull in the same direction at the Paris Summit to give firms the certainty and confidence they need to invest in the green economy for the long run. Politicians and negotiators should be confident that business is behind them in securing a lasting climate deal.”

Al Gore said: “The United Kingdom’s historic legacy of leadership on the most important moral issues faced by humanity, including the climate crisis, is long and has been recognised with respect by the community of nations. It is time for the UK government to honour and live up to that legacy, and return to its global leadership position, domestically and abroad, by supporting an ambitious international agreement in Paris that unleashes the power of the private sector to create a global clean energy economy.”

Matthew Spencer, Director, Green Alliance, said: “A good deal at Paris will create new low carbon markets around the world. If the UK can re-stabilise its own energy policy, it stands to gain from the hard work and investment of the past two decades.

Spencer added: “We’re ahead of the world in bringing down the cost of offshore wind, phasing out the use of coal and, as today’s event shows, we have an enviable level of agreement between business and NGOs about the need to maintain the UK’s low carbon momentum. To build on these advantages, the government needs to clear up the confusion about what it is trying to achieve for the UK energy system, ahead of the Paris conference. ”