Environmental legislation 'should encourage green businesses'

The government should make changes to current environmental legislation to help green businesses, it has been suggested.

This is the opinion of James Murray, editor of BusinessGreen.com, who said that the coalition is "not doing nearly enough" to help environmentally-friendly companies.

He said that instead it has created confusion by incorporating green measures in the Comprehensive Spending Review, which does not clearly address green investment or include ways businesses can meet carbon targets.

Mr Murray also noted that more should be invested in the renewable energy industry, saying: "There is no way we are going to meet our carbon targets and help tackle climate change without significant increases in the amount that is invested over the next decade."

Despite his comments, earlier this month, Conservative cabinet minister Oliver Letwin said that the government is committed to introducing green incentives to encourage a low-carbon society.

He stated that it "will take the crucial steps that set us on the road to secure a low-carbon, green growth Britain".

Posted by Joseph Hutton