TUC issues call for Obama-style "green industrial revolution"

The TUC will today urge the UK government to emulate the energy policies proposed by US president-elect Barack Obama and increase investment in the creation of green collar jobs as part of a "green industrial revolution".

In an address to the annual Crystal lecture at Wolverhampton University, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber is expected to call on the government to increase its focus on emerging green industries such as clean coal technology and microgeneration as it seeks to rebalance an economy that has become dangerously reliant on financial services.

"While short term measures are needed to minimise the impact of the economic downturn, the Government also needs a long-term strategy to ensure that the UK emerges with a more equal and sustainable economy," he will say. "At the core of the Government's strategy should be a green industrial revolution to make our economy more sustainable and competitive in the long term. Investing in areas such as clean coal technology and micro-generation will create jobs and give our manufacturing industry a much-needed boost."

The government has repeatedly claimed that its climate change strategy and plans to generate 15 per cent of the UK's energy from renewable sources by 2020 will result in significant job creation. But Barber is expected to say that the government should look to invest greater levels in clean technologies than it is currently proposing.

"If this all this sounds like wishful thinking, consider that a key part of Barack Obama's economic strategy is to create a green industrial revolution," he will argue. "He plans to invest $150bn dollars over the next decade for renewable energy. He believes this strategy will create five million new jobs in the US. So, just as the US has followed our lead in bank recapitalisation, we should follow their lead by investing in green technology."

Barber will also warn that failure to adopt such a strategy will see the UK businesses continue to lose ground to competitors in both the US and Europe.

In addition, he is expected to criticise the government's previous support for clean tech, noting that the UK already has "a lot of catching up to do", and that while Germany's renewable energy sector employs half a million people and has a turnover of €24bn, the UK employs just 7,000 in renewable energy, generating €360m in revenue.