Strong leadership, vision and confidence will be needed for the Humber region to play a starring role in the green industrial revolution.
Those were the words of Juergen Maier, former chief executive at Siemens 海角视频, headline speaker at the inaugural Festival of Green Innovation.
The digital event 鈥 broadcast live from Aura Innovation Centre at Hessle - celebrated progress made towards a carbon neutral, Net Zero economy.
Prof Maier said 鈥渟trong foundations鈥 had been laid across the estuary, and it was now time to scale-up investment and put confidence in the capabilities of green innovation.
The man who cut the first sod on the blade plant build at Green Port Hull said: 鈥淭he Humber region, being at the heart of the global offshore wind industry, knows all about the technology needed to generate power in a green way.
鈥淲e are now also moving forwards, beyond offshore wind, and looking at other emerging technologies. Particularly interesting for the Humber region will be green hydrogen.
鈥淲e have laid strong foundations through places like the Aura Innovation Centre and the Humber region鈥檚 various Catapults, and have made huge strides in green engineering.
鈥淚t is now up to civic leaders, national politicians and businesses to show the leadership needed, and create a fourth - green - industrial revolution.鈥
The event showcased how the Aura and University of Hull network of enterprise and innovation brands are supporting low-carbon business innovation, and working with the region鈥檚 SMEs to reduce their carbon emissions.
The creation of green jobs and skills in the Humber region took centre stage.
Emma Hardy, Hull West and Hessle MP; and Shadow Minister for Further Education and Universities, said: 鈥淗ull and this region has always been built around water and the port.
鈥淧eople for generations have looked out to sea and seen ships 鈥 now you also look out and see huge wind farms generating clean electricity.
鈥淭he Humber region will be at the heart of the country鈥檚 green energy generation, and for that to happen, we need the right people with the right skills.
鈥淭he future is bright 鈥 I am so optimistic about this 鈥 and young people are so engaged and interested in climate change and the environment.
鈥淚t is about harnessing all of that, and creating a prosperous future for this region.鈥
Other speakers at the Festival of Green Innovation included award-winning Hull entrepreneur Phil Benson, Lampada Digital Solutions chief executive Andy Parkinson and Beckie Hart, regional CBI director.
The TV-style event, hosted by BBC Radio Humberside鈥檚 Kofi Smiles, also heard from Aura director Louise Smith, For Entrepreneurs Only chief executive Jan Brumby, and a host of SME business owners.
Mr Parkinson, former Marketing Humber chair, said: 鈥淭he Humber region is one of the highest-emitting carbon clusters in the country. Across the world, ports and estuary regions are at the centre of this global challenge.
鈥淵ou will not solve climate change without solving the challenges faced by the Humber region. The jobs will come around green energy, I am confident of that, but we need to make sure we 鈥榩ut the ball in the back of the net鈥 and make it happen.鈥
Mr Benson, whose career kick-started when he co-founded Xing Smoothies in 2006, spoke passionately about putting the Humber region on a national pedestal.
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鈥淲e have so much focus on London and what is going on there, but we must remember the value of the Humber region and what it can bring to the country economically is huge.
鈥淲here are our next innovations going to come from, and what do we need to do to make sure we have a competitive advantage over other regions?
鈥淲e must find a way to use the Humber鈥檚 natural resources, and our location, for the benefit of all.鈥
