Yorkshire is the second most at risk region in terms of climate change and flood disaster. This is the message that will be spelled out at a conference in Bradford today.

The Green Conference, aimed at advising local businesses how to become more environmentally friendly, was being held at the Cedar Court Hotel.

The conference was organised by ATL Yorkshire - formerly the Asian Trade Link) - and supported by Yorkshire Forward as well as Business Link West Yorkshire.

The event was due to feature a keynote speech from Mike Smith, head of Sustainable Development at Yorkshire Forward.

Mr Smith said: "Climate change is here and we are living it. We are currently experiencing extensive flooding and extreme weather which is a direct result of that.

"Yorkshire is the second most high risk region in the country for climate change and flooding. Only London is at greater risk. If this is allowed to continue we face the very real possibility of this region ending up underwater.

"This event is about looking at how businesses can adapt. We were the first Regional Development Agency to set a carbon reduction target and have currently reduced by five million tonnes. Other RDAs are following our lead.

"A lot of damage has already been done and we cannot change that but we can try and limit further damage."

The event will also feature workshops and a screening of An Inconvenient Truth', the film by Al Gore.

Among the workshop themes are: practical steps to address climate change in your business; trading carbon markets and waste minimisation and resource efficiency.

Around 120 businesses from around the region were expected to attend the conference.

A spokesman for ATL Yorkshire said: "This is a sub-regional event focusing specifically on West Yorkshire. We have invited delegates from businesses in Bradford, Kirklees, Leeds, Halifax, all over West Yorkshire.

"The workshops have been drawn up in consultation with key agencies and are aimed at teaching local businesses about becoming more environmentally friendly.

"The reason we have organised this event is that when we spoke to the Environment Agency and other agencies here we discovered there was nothing like this happening in the region.

"We are hoping to reach small and medium size businesses and show them the options and inform them of the vast opportunities this also offers.

"Going green can mean increased profits, greater efficiency and give your firm a competitive advantage."

e-mail: paddy.mcguffin@bradford.newsquest.co.uk

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