Green New Deal is launched

17 July 2009

Northern Ireland's businesses, trades unions, farmers, voluntary organisations and environmentalists have united around a common platform - the Green New Deal for Northern Ireland.

The ground-breaking coalition is calling on government to take a joined up approach to recession, rising energy prices and climate change.

The Green New Deal group has published its vision of how an ambitious investment programme to cut consumption of fossil fuels can:

• Create thousands of new jobs
• Help secure our energy supply
• Build a competitive low-carbon economy

The Green New Deal is a 21st Century solution to 21st Century problems modelled on the Roosevelt's New Deal during the great depression of the 30s.

The coalition is led by:

• The Confederation of British Industry
• The Ulster Farmers' Union
• The Irish Congress of Trade Unions
• The Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action

and was brought together by Friends of the Earth.

The group will produce a series of papers setting out a package of measures for:

• Housing
• Public and commercial buildings
• Renewable energy
• Sustainable industries
• Employment and skills
• Finance mechanisms

As part of its advocacy plan the group has made a presentation to the Economic Development Forum, an advisory body to the Northern Ireland Executive chaired by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment.

The group has also met with bank executives and has had an informal session with the members of the Sustainable Development Commission.

The group will bring its vision to the Northern Ireland Assembly in due course.

Green New Deal >