The document identifies encouraging small businesses to reduce their waste and overseeing the development of new infrastructure such as energy-from-waste as two areas which will play a part in its plans to develop the UK economy by promoting resource efficiency, increasing renewable energy and reducing carbon emissions.
However, while there is multi-million pound funding announced for renewable energy sectors such as wave & tidal power, which is set to receive up to £60 million, and offshore wind, which is earmarked for £120 million investment, there is no clear commitment in the strategy to give financial support to waste and recycling infrastructure past that offered by the PFI scheme.
Unveiling the strategy this morning, business secretary Peter Mandelson said: “There is no high carbon future. But if the transition to low carbon is inevitable, what is not inevitable is that we use the transition as a chance to develop new jobs, new industries here in Britain.
“This strategy builds on the 'New Industry New Jobs' approach, outlining the strategic role the government will play alongside the private sector, to make the most of the potential benefits for innovation, growth and job creation in the UK,” he added.
Infrastructure
In the strategy, which comes after the 'Low Carbon Industrial Strategy Vision' was published in March 2009 (see letsrecycle.com story), the government outlines plans to establish an advisory body, Infrastructure UK, to identify infrastructure needs in areas including waste.
“Infrastructure UK will advise on coordination across infrastructure to tackle joint challenges such as climate change and the move to a low carbon economy,” it explains.
And, the strategy also outlines how the government is planning to help businesses to capture the benefits of reducing their waste as part of a move to become resource efficient, claiming that the cost of waste for UK businesses is 4% of their turnover.
Laying out the steps that government is taking to help firms address the barriers to increasing their resource efficiency, it reveals that later this year it will launch a package to “help SMEs better understand and respond to the opportunities and risks posed by the move to the low carbon economy.”
Transport
Today has also seen the publication of a low carbon strategy for the transport industry, which sets out the policies and proposals that the government plans to use to reduce transport sector emissions by 14% of their 2008 levels by 2020.
In the department for transport document, 'Low Carbon Transport: A Greener Future', the promotion of sustainable biofuels is described as an “important part” of the move to a low carbon transport system.
Confirming that the government will outline just how it plans to meet its biofuels targets in a National Action Plan by June 2010, the document also states that it plans to provide financial support for a biofuels demonstrator plant in England, which would use organic waste to produce bioethanol and renewable power.
The department of transport said that further details of this project were expected to be published later this year.
Register for free to comment