Green business and local economies

Abstract

The article focuses on how the green agenda can be progressed through practical steps at the local government level. The author draws on his time as a councillor in the London Borough of Enfield, where he combined his interests in regeneration and sustainability. He argues that environmental sustainability should be viewed as a prime policy consideration in all levels of government; and that a green business logic should be applied when assessing the viability of initiatives in this area. Local government is in a relatively good position for green business investment. However, the sums of money required mean that external counterparts and commercial interests are also needed. The article describes initiatives to support the local private green-tech sector, and the founding of a low-carbon heat-from-waste company, energetik, whose next stage involves building an energy centre adjacent to the North London Waste Authority's waste facility.