15 December 2009 | Jake Kanter
World leaders must encourage renewable energy growth through public procurement, according to conservation charity WWF.
A report by the organisation, launched at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, said governments should use sustainable purchasing policies to develop a “strong home market for clean energy technology”.
It is thought that government spending decisions can encourage businesses and consumers to buy more green energy, including solar, wind and biomass.
The WWF said some of the leading clean energy countries, such as Denmark, Brazil and Germany, were successful because they benefit from early and consistent government support.
The report, Clean economy, living planet: Building strong clean energy technology industries, predicts that the renewable energy market could be worth €1.6 trillion (£1.4 trillion) a year by 2020, ranking as the third largest industrial sector behind automotive and electronics.
