Eco NW - Applications
Where and how to use the Eco-region NW
Economic development
As birthplaces of the industrial revolution, Manchester and Liverpool suffered extreme levels of poverty and pollution, followed by 50 years of decline and restructuring. From the challenges of social exclusion, ill-health, obsolescence and dereliction, the 'metropolitan' core of the North West is now re-inventing itself as a globalized hub for creative and knowledge-based industries in the mode of the 'new urbanism'. The regional economy as a whole is diverse, and catching up with the UK, but in GVA / per capita lags behind by about 10%, and there are structural problems with skills, entrepreneurship and innovation.
The North West Development Agency aims to transform the region through 'sustainable economic development' into a competitive, high added value, knowledge based inclusive economy: by promoting productivity, clusters, skills, access to work, and reducing regional variations.
There is a strong environmental strand in all this, in areas such as renewable energy, environmental technology, community-based recycling, ethical finance and corporate responsibility. However this is not enough to yet turn the tide of material growth, as in the case of the gateway to the region, Manchester Airport, which continues to double in size every 10-15 years. The Eco-region research looks at the NWDA target sectors for industrial clusters. It shows that a 35% reduction in the footprint of production is possible through best practice in the key sectors of paper and printing, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, and construction materials.
