‘We will only improve the environment if we improve the economy.’ Owen Paterson demonstrated the government’s new environmental mantra at a Policy Exchange fringe event this evening, discussing how we can build a sustainable green economy. The new Environment Secretary said that he will only pursue technologies that will make a positive contribution to the economy:
‘We should not be frightened of major projects brought in to improve the economy, because by improving the economy, we generate the funds to improve the environment. And if we are imaginative we can also bring the two together. The two are, empathically,not mutual exclusive.
‘It’s got to be sustainable…which means it has to minimise waste, use resources in the most efficient manner or someone else will do it better than us’
Despite stating that power production was really a matter for the Department of Energy, Paterson took a swipe at the subsidies handed out at a national level for sustainable energy production, highlighting his own battle with wind farms:
‘I’m very clear that there are significant impacts on the rural economy and rural environment from some renewable technologies.You
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