While there are many exciting avenues out there, it’s the green economy that businesses across Yorkshire and the Humber regularly tell me they are most excited about. This drive for green is driven by more than good will and the need to leave behind a liveable planet for future generations. It is about commercial opportunity, and the numbers speak for themselves. In 2024, a year when the UK economy fell into a technical recession, our net zero sector grew 9 per cent.
They want to capitalise on the country’s status as an early leader in green investment, they want to leverage our energy expertise, and they want to invent and build climate friendly technologies that will shape the future. But to do that, and to challenge the sceptics, we need bold action. The US and EU have used their deep pockets to lure green investment with hefty incentives. It’s an approach we just can’t match pound for pound. But it is one we can outsmart.