Lancaster University partners with the Environmental Industries Commission to support innovation and grow businesses which are addressing the world’s environmental challenges.

The partnership with the Environmental Industries Commission (EIC), the main trade body for the UK environmental business sector, will support enterprises which are working on new ways to reduce carbon emissions and waste, and improve land, water and air quality.

“There is an urgent need to develop new technologies and approaches that will allow us to limit temperature rise to 1.5 degrees, as highlighted in the recent IPCC special report on global warming,” said Professor Nigel Paul, director of the Centre for Global Eco-innovation (CGE), which is leading the partnership for Lancaster University.

The partnership, launched at the start of the first Green Great Britain week, will help UK businesses maximise the huge opportunities offered by the global move towards cleaner economic growth, which is at the heart of both the UK Clean Growth Strategy and the Industrial Strategy.

Claire Perry, Minister for Energy and Clean Growth, said: “The UK has led the world in cutting emissions whilst growing our economy - with clean growth driving incredible innovation and creating hundreds of thousands of high quality jobs. Ten years on from the Climate Change Act, the first ever Green GB week is a time to build on our successes and explain the huge opportunities for business and young people of a cleaner economy.

“I’m delighted to see how many more businesses and organisations such as Lancaster University are seizing this multi-billion pound opportunity to energise their communities to tackle the very serious threat of climate change.”

The partnership will build on the CGE’s award winning approach of delivering solution-focussed, business-led research, through enabling enterprises to access the expertise, resources and global contacts of Lancaster University and its partners.

“Lancaster University has a strong track record of working with businesses on innovations from new energy technologies to improving food security,” said CGE manager, Dr Andy Pickard. “This could mean finding new ways of using existing resources more efficiently or reducing waste and carbon emissions.

“This partnership also enables us to work closely with business to inform government policy at the highest level. It will help develop new relationships with industry and commerce to address global challenges, ultimately benefiting both the environment and the economy.”

The Environmental Industries Commission brings together the UK infrastructure sector, environmental consultancies, environmental technology firms, universities, venture capitalists and law firms. It is an Accredited Trade Partner of the Department for International Trade.

EIC Director Matthew Farrow said: “The UK has some world-class strengths in environmental technology and services and we need to build on these to deliver the clean growth and exports we all want to see post-Brexit. Innovation is central to doing this – how can we solve environmental challenges such as air pollution or plastic waste faster and more efficiently?

“To succeed we need business, policymakers and universities working together and by partnering with Lancaster University with its eco-innovation strengths we believe we can help make this happen.”

The two partners are planning a series of joint workshops, case studies and position papers over the next 24 months.