Greater Manchester has established a Low Carbon Hub (LCH) as part of its city deal with Government.  The LCH has established a private sector Board Chaired by Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council and its main role is to oversee the delivery of the GM Climate Change Implementation Plan. 

One of the four main aims of the Climate Change Implementation Plan is to “make a rapid transition to a low carbon economy” and securing economic growth from the low carbon and environmental sector in Greater Manchester is an essential part of achieving this aim. 

The Sector Growth Group has been established as a sub-group to the LCH to develop and oversee the delivery of activity that will maximise sector growth across Greater Manchester.  

The Group was established in January 2013 and has defined its Mission as:
Creating the business environment to enable local businesses to optimise their potential in low carbon and environmental markets.

Raising the profile of the sector to increase business activity particularly in relation to number of Greater Manchester businesses involved in the sector, international trade and inward investment.

Increase understanding of how the low carbon economy can support the economic prosperity of Greater Manchester

Co-ordinating and developing Greater Manchester’s support to develop the sector.
To ensure the Group delivers against this Mission it has developed a work programme as part of the LCH business plan and established four work streams:

Stimulate demand – working with the other LCH sub-groups to link the market demand being creating through investments to reduce emissions from buildings energy infrastructure and transport to the supply chain; 

Supply chain growth – ensuring public sector procurement is used appropriately and affectively to stimulate the LCEGS sector across GM;

Business support - developing an active network of engaged businesses and Universities and a co-ordinated approach to business support to provide companies with the access to knowledge, expertise and practical skills that help them grow and innovate;

Intelligence and communications - develop a clear understanding at all levels within the public and business sectors of the characteristics of the low carbon and environmental sector in GM and the importance and growing potential of the sector to Greater Manchester’s economic prosperity.

Highlights of the activity so far include mapping the low carbon and environmental goods and services sector across Greater Manchester.  This will inform the development of our strategic priorities and future planning, a briefing report of the mapping study will be published in July 2013.  In addition work has begun to link the supply chain with the other significant areas of work in the Low Carbon Hub such as the Green Deal and the Joint Venture with the Green Investment Bank.