Canada should position itself as a leader in green technology in a bid to provide economic stimulation, create long-term jobs, and help make businesses and workers more productive.
This is the appeal from Desjardins Group president and CEO Monique Leroux, who this week addressed the Canadian Club of Montreal.
"Canada has already positioned itself at the forefront in areas like free trade and the deficit battle. Why not also focus on the green technology sector?” Leroux said.
The Paris Climate
Summit in 2015 outlined short-, medium-, and long-term solutions for sustainable development, and Leroux believes that a shift to clean technologies will benefit all sectors of Canada’s economy and future generations. Major green infrastructure investments can provide economic stimulation, create long-term jobs, and help make businesses and workers more productive, Leroux said.
The Desjardins Group has made several initiatives to make its business more environmentally sustainable, such as energy efficiency loans, green insurance, responsible investing, and investing in renewable energy. It has also taken steps to reduce the business’ greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020, as compared to 2008 levels.
