The challenge of creating a lower carbon economy and decoupling growth from resource use has the power to change the way we do business.  Scottish Businesses will face a wealth of opportunities as they innovate to develop the new products and services that compete in this global green jobs market. There will be opportunities for business to develop new operations that help protect ecosystems; reduce energy, materials, and water consumption, minimising waste and pollution.  Research and development and innovation will give rise to new business relationships, the need for new diagnostic tools, delivery of new training and skills and even new business finance models. Green jobs also include social enterprise and fair trade skills, critical to restoring communities and regions suffering from the legacy of the current economic downturn. Enabling these areas to become working models of viability. It is now apparent that it is no longer enough to consider only the recycling goods and simply delaying their final destination to landfill, but instead a whole new way of thinking needs to be adopted.  What can we learn from the cyclic systems of nature while translating this into real economic potential?  How can we ensure that the products we make today can become the resources of tomorrow?  Combining innovative thinking to reduce the use of natural raw resources and the implementation of strategy to produce less waste going to landfill is an exciting challenge for sustainable businesses practice.

Innovative Business in a Low Carbon Future will bring together key business leaders and organisations that are active in the emerging low carbon/green growth agenda, those that are exposed to this agenda through vertical and horizontal integration and those wanting to find out how low carbon and innovative resource management could create opportunities for their business while securing themselves in the new green business market.

Horizon Scotland will be the main facility for the day’s activities. The day will include presentations and round table discussions to give delegates the opportunity to hear about and discuss business opportunities and challenges arising from our low carbon future in the morning and a visit to AES- the UK’s original solar heating system manufacturer, based in Forres, Moray.