Last month, the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce held their annual Leadership
Conference where Bruce Katz, Vice President and Director of the Metropolitan Policy Program with the Brookings Institution, delivered the opening night address. Mr. Katz’s presentation focused on the keys to economic recovery. He highlighted metropolitan areas as clusters that will house job growth and creation to lead the “next economy.”

From his presentation, which can be found on the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce’s website, we can deduce three main elements that will drive the “next economy.” Those main elements are exports, innovation and low carbon economies. For example, a low carbon-focused economy will provide the jobs of the future. They will create markets that will spur job growth in industries, including, but not limited to, infrastructure, energy, and mainstream production of consumer goods and services.

The metropolitan clusters around the nation will be vital in nurturing the growth of these three main elements for macroeconomic progress. Seattle has the foundation to expand on these crucial elements to ramp up economic growth in new industries and ultimately decrease unemployment.

To view the presentation slideshow, click here.

To view Mr. Katz’s report on metro area exports as the lifeline for the macro and micro economy, click here.

For more on the Chamber’s annual Leadership Conference, including reports from various industries, click here.