Energy and Environmental Technologies
Since the findings of the Stern Report in 2006 predicted that
the cost of delaying action on climate change could be as much as
20% of the world’s GDP, there has been a marked shift in opinions
on the issues of energy and environmental technologies. The NWDA
aims to facilitate sustainable economic growth in the
Northwest to protect the environment and seek the answers to energy
issues that will be at the forefront of future government
policies.
Energy
As well as being a vital factor for business continuity and
everyday life, the energy sector makes an important contribution to
the region’s economy. It contributes around £5 billion, with
exports worth around £1.2 billion, and employs over 50,000 people
in the Northwest.
The region has unique strengths and skills in nuclear power
generation, with around 23,000 people employed in the sector
- about half the total employment of the UK's nuclear
sector. All the aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle
(enrichment, fabrication and reprocessing) are carried out in the
region and the vast majority of the UK’s nuclear research
capability is located in the Northwest.
The formation of the Northwest Energy Council follows the highly
successful Northwest Science Council established by the NWDA to
promote and develop the region’s science base. Like the
Science Council, the Energy Council will consist of high level
private and public sector representatives, each with a wealth of
experience in the field.
The NWDA will continue to invest in projects such as the
Joule Centre for Energy
Research. The Joule Centre was officially launched in
2006 and marks the creation of the Northwest’s first centre
for the development of sustainable energy technologies. Based
at Manchester University, it will pioneer smart and low-carbon
technologies for the home and industry, including wave, tidal and
micro-hydro technologies.
Environmental Technologies
England's Northwest has an estimated 1,500 companies working in
the environmental technologies and services sector. These companies
provide jobs for over 53,000 people and produce an annual turnover
of more than £2.8 billion.
Envirolink
Northwest is the representative body established to
lead the environmental technologies cluster in the region.
Strong progress is being made in helping environmental technology
companies to grow and expand into new markets, improving the skills
base and encouraging innovation throughout the sector.
The NWDA also coordinates the Business Resource Efficiency and Waste
Minimisation Programme (BREW) in the Northwest. BREW has
been developed by the Department for Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
to use landfill taxes to help businesses improve their
resource efficiency and waste management practices.
Through the implementation of the Northwest Climate Change
Action Plan, the region which led the industrial revolution is now
in a position to take the lead on climate change, energy and wider
sustainable development.
The NWDA has highlighted the key priorities and outlined the
role of regional organisations in delivering the Action Plan
- and how the Northwest can tap into the £30 billion
opportunity that climate change presents for British business over
the next ten years.
The NWDA has a clear view on the direction we want to go in as a
region, including influencing Government policy on climate change
and energy. The Northwest is determined to demonstrate real
progress in this area and become a champion for climate change
activity and an overseer of sustainable consumption and
production.