The Eco Technology Show was a national showcase "of the latest technologies which perform a crucial role in protecting the environment and making our daily business and home lives more efficient."

I say timely because this week sees the launch of the Rio+20 UN conference on sustainable development and some commentators are already questioning whether this can be a priority in the face of economic recession.

The Eco Show demonstrated very clearly that such a dichotomy - economy versus environment - is a false trade-off.

It showcased practical examples illustrating how it is possible to improve people's lives by both reducing environmental impact and saving money.

There were also talks and workshops on this theme, and at a panel debate with Ministers, I argued that investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency can simultaneously tackle rising climate emissions, stabilise the economy and create jobs.

We need Government to create an investment framework based on long-term policy certainty so companies feel confident to invest - the opposite, in other words, to what we've seen recently with the chaos caused by Ministers U-turning on solar FITS (feed-in tariffs).

Brighton and Hove is leading the way in new green industries and technologies.

We have a strong entrepreneurial culture, reflected by high levels of business start-ups compared with other cities, and we're in the top ten cities for creating private sector jobs.

Our vibrant small and micro-level businesses are the core of the city's economy, and we're increasingly known for excellence in the digital, media, and Green sectors, to name but three.

This gives us a hugely positive platform on which to build, and I'll continue to do all I can to promote the city as an attractive place to do business.

For more on the Eco Technology Show see the website at http://bit.ly/vjg8Ps