Pure Advantage pushes 'green' opportunities
Lobby group sees gap between clean, green image and reality
Friday, July 08 2011 || Sustainable 60 || BY Richard Meadows, Businessday.co.nz
The environmental lobby group's heavy-hitting trustees include Air New Zealand CEO Rob Fyfe, former Carter Holt Harvey head Chris Liddell and Warehouse founder Sir Stephen Tindall.
Pure Advantage chairman Rob Morrison said there is a gap between New Zealand's clean green image and reality.
"We simply can't afford to let our reputation, and consequently our exporters, suffer because of a lack of environmental leadership," said Morrison.
''Nor should we miss the opportunity that the global shift to green growth represents for a country like New Zealand."
A 2009 Innovas report commissioned by the UK government estimated the global green economy would grow to US$6.8 trillion by 2015.
Pure Advantage will shortly release the results of its own study, which will indicate where New Zealand stands in the 'green race'.
It's also funding a macroeconomic review, due to be released later this year, to identify which sectors of New Zealand's economy provide the most opportunities for green growth.
Morrison said Pure Advantage will act as a conduit to spark greater public debate nationally around reducing New Zealand's carbon footprint, increasing sustainability and advancing clean technologies.
He said a 'Roadmap for change', due be released next year, would contain specific recommendations for consumers and businesses.
"We don't pretend to have all the answers, but we hope that by opening the debate- and funding further research and discussion- we can help New Zealanders to reach a broad agreement about the best way forward."
The group wants New Zealanders to sign up to the Pure Advantage website and Facebook page to participate in discussions and generate a "collective pressure" for change.
Pure Advantage began as an unofficial lobby group in 2009, founded by Les Mills International chairman Phillip Mills.
The other trustees of the group are Sir George Fistonich, Jeremy Moon, Lloyd Morrison, Geoff Ross, Justine Smyth and Joan Withers.
