Net zero economy contributing £83bn in the UK

Employment within the sector expanded 10.2% over the same period, with net zero businesses supporting the equivalent of 951,000 full-time jobs. Of 15,600 employers identified, 94% were small and medium-sized enterprises with fewer than 250 employees.

The average salary was £43,076, compared with the UK median gross annual earnings of £37,430 in April 2024, according to research. Each full-time role generated £105,500 in economic value, which was 38% above the UK average. 

The report also found that every £1 generated by the net zero economy created an additional £1.89 in the wider economy. Businesses that were active in the sector in 2024 have attracted £25.9bn from private investors over the past 20 years.

The West Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber, and South West England are home to the largest hotspots of net zero activity, according to the research, and account for a combined 16.3% of the net-zero economy.

In Scotland, net zero activity supports the equivalent of 100,700 full-time jobs and the sector makes up around 4.9% of the country’s GVA.

Louise Hellem, chief economist at the CBI, said: “The net zero economy continues to demonstrate that there are huge emerging markets for green technologies that the UK must capitalise on.

“It is clear, you can’t have growth without green. At a time when the cost of doing business has squeezed appetite for capital investments and high energy prices are being cited as a drag factor across the economy, investments in clean technologies can significantly bolster competitiveness and productivity. 

“2025 is the year when the rubber really hits the road – where inaction is indisputably costlier than action. We are approaching critical points of no return for achieving essential outcomes in energy security and emissions reduction. Long-term sustainable growth is unattainable without a future powered by clean, affordable and secure energy.”