ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE Author: Victoria Bradford, Policy and Information Researcher, CLES (0161) 233 1927
[email protected] INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE As such, the purpose of this research is to identify to what extent the Stern Review and The recently published Stern Review1 has set mitigation of the effects of climate change are out a key challenge for central and local influencing or should influence economic government in terms of the economic impact development activity in the UK, at the that climate change will have on the local, national, local and regional level. This national and global economy. research assesses the strategic lead played by economic development departments on The review demonstrates that ignoring climate climate change strategies, and wider change will damage economic growth. At its corporate environmental sustainability policies. heart is the concept that tackling climate It is also designed to assess the extent to change is the pro-growth strategy for the which economic development departments are longer term, with Stern and his fellow author’s involved in taking action to reduce the impact arguing that it can be done in a way that does of climate change on business activity as well not cap the aspirations for growth of rich, or as highlighting and promoting the economic poor, countries. The earlier effective action is benefits that can be gained from taking taken, the less costly it will be. Without action action, e.g. resource consumption and to address climate change, over the coming developing new energy technologies. It will few decades we risk major disruption to also look at the role that economic economic and social activity, on a scale similar development, together with spatial planning is to those associated with the great wars and playing in reducing the impact of climate the economic depression of the first half of the change on the economy of the UK.