Environment “not a priority for the government,” says University of Leeds professor
Yorkshire’s green business and community heads gathered at the summit in York
A leading climate professor at the University of Leeds has said that the environmental industry is not receiving enough support from the government.
Speaking at the Yorkshire Post’s annual Climate Change Summit, Dr Imogen Rattle, Senior Research Fellow in Low Carbon Industrial Strategy, said that the repercussions would be industry-wide.
The conference hosted speakers from across the environmental sector, providing insight into the ongoing work across Yorkshire seeking to provide more sustainable approaches to mitigating climate change in the region.
Dr Rattle also noted that the cost of industrial energy in the UK is the highest in the G7, which continues to be a major setback for numerous green businesses.
The School of Earth and Environment scholar cited her worries with the concerted effort needed to overturn the growing effects of climate change.
She said: “It’s going to take a lot of time, and time is not something we have a lot of.”
Other panelists, such as Dr Andrew Swift, CEO of Fera Science, emphasised greater collaboration and investment in the region.
Dr Swift added that the planet breached the ‘Earth Overshoot Day’ on July 30, meaning that the human demand for natural resources has now exceeded what the earth in turn can regenerate.
Notably last month, the Environment Agency declared drought status in Yorkshire due to low water levels in rivers and reservoirs across the county.
Green manufacturing companies were also present at the summit, as well as community groups and local energy chiefs.
Paul Pearcy of Yorkshire-based British Glass stressed that manufacturers simply need a “level playing field” with other competitors in Europe, noting the funding available within the European Union eases the burden on their ability to turn a profit.
Paul said that there are “significant cost barriers” outside of the trading bloc.
In the Autumn Budget, the government made a commitment to “invest in renewable and low-carbon energy infrastructure across the UK, helping to unlock growth and supporting the low-carbon economy.”