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Conference on Greater Manchester
Low Carbon Economic Area
12 March 2010
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Over 130 people attended a conference to discuss the opportunities the Low Carbon Economic Area will bring to Greater Manchester’s businesses and its economy as a whole, heard an impassioned Phil Jones, Sales and Marketing Director, from Brother UK. He said that Greater Manchester’s ten local authorities working together, had, by looking at the big picture got it right, and when Manchester delivers on its ambitious Low Carbon agenda, it could be another decisive moment that will once again put Manchester on the world map.

Phil spoke of the opportunities the low carbon agenda brings and the challenges that SMEs are likely to face in its delivery. He asked what small steps could be taken and what support business can expect. He called the public sector to action and asked: “ Can we just get on with it?”

He said this agenda was about getting a balance between the economy and environment. Currently the economic buyer trumps the environmental buyer, but by joining up the dots and having a master plan he believed over the next five years the low carbon agenda would redress the balance by supporting 34,000 jobs contributing £42 billion to Manchester’s GVA as well as saving six million tonnes of carbon.

Mike Reardon, Strategic Director, Greater Manchester Environment Commission also gave a presentation on the opportunities presented by Manchester securing its status as the first Low Carbon Economic Area in the country focusing on the built environment..

The event was an opportunity to discuss the findings of a report on Low Carbon Industrial Analysis by Innovas Solutions commissioned by Manchester’s Commission for the New Economy. The study was designed to understand the potential scale of increasing demand for green industries, how local businesses can take advantage of the opportunities they provide and which sub sectors are most likely to generate new jobs for the region.

Steve Turner, Head of Carbon Economy at New Economy, said:

“This report helps build a case for Low Carbon Environmental Goods and Services within Greater Manchester and identifies where the main opportunities lie. The report gives recommendations, which we need to explore further, that relate to the sub sector and technology areas that Greater Manchester could support and build a leading position in the UK and internationally.”

Nick Gerrard, Deputy Chief Executive, Commission for the New Economy said:
” The Low Carbon agenda presents huge opportunities for Manchester, but it will require us to be innovative if we are to exploit them to create sustainable economic growth and benefits, including new jobs, businesses and industries.

“To succeed we need to have joined up working to ensure schools and colleges are producing students with the right skills sets for these new industries.”

A series of short presentations giving an outline of the work involved in delivering the five –year programme and to be used as the starting point for discussions were presented by: Jon Lovell, Head of Sustainability, Drivers Jonas LLP, Commercial Opportunity; Michael O’Doherty, Assistant Director of Housing, Manchester City Council, Residential Opportunity: Annie Smith, Head of Employment, New Economy, Employment and Growth Opportunities; and Cat Watkins, Assistant Director, Energy and Infrastructure Ernst and Young, Private Sector Financing.

Following a presentation by Innovas the attendees were invited to discuss and question a number of issues relating to the report. Their feedback will be incorporated into the first version of a joint delivery plan for the Low Carbon Economic Area to be produced by New Economy and Environment Commissions.

Download the presentations:

• Low Carbon Economic Area Event Presentations (1716kb) – PDF