Green business members back Lib Dem green plan

A total of 20 business leaders and investors have signed a letter in support of the policy document, which was published yesterday (April 26).

Among them is waste and recycling expert Ray Georgeson, who has signed the letter in his capacity as a consultant for the waste industry.

The publication follows the launch of the Labour Party’s green manifesto last week (April 20), which pledged to undertake a review of resource security to support domestic recycling and remanufacturing (see letsrecycle.com story).

The Lib Dem document reiterates the ‘five green laws’ package that was floated in the Party’s manifesto launch earlier this month, with a focus on greater borrowing powers for the Green Investment Bank (GIB) and establishing an Office for Environmental Responsibility.

The document adds that the Lib Dems intend to establish a 70% recycling target for England if elected – although the previous set deadline of 2030 was again missing from the plans.

And, the Party would bring in regulations to promote design of products or parts that can be repaired, reused and recycled.

Agenda

In the letter supporting the manifesto, business leaders welcomed the Party’s record on the “green agenda” since 2010.

The coalition government’s record includes securing £37 billion investment in renewable electricity, establishing the GIB and planting over one million trees.

An extract of the letter reads: “With the polls showing that another hung Parliament is likely, we hope – for the sake of the battle against climate change and for our environment – that any Coalition will include the Liberal Democrats. The Lib Dems can secure Britain’s progress towards a clean energy future and ensure that our country will continue to play a leading international role on the green agenda.”

Commenting on the environmental manifesto, Liberal Democrat Energy & Climate Change Secretary, Ed Davey, said: “Having Lib Dems in Government will insure our environment against the risk of sharp lurches to the left or right that would result in our green delivery coming to a grinding halt.”