Australia and the United Kingdom will work together to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy technologies, after forging a new partnership on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Apia, Samoa, last week.
Pursuant to a meeting between Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the Australia-UK Climate and Energy Partnership will focus on the development and eventual roll-out of clean energy sources, such as hydrogen and offshore wind, to support the economic resilience and decarbonisation efforts of both countries.
Both governments have said they and private capital can be leveraged to shape a clean energy future, thereby paving the way for new industries, technologies, and job opportunities.
“This partnership will ensure we maximise the economic potential of the net zero transition, and build on our long-standing cooperation on international climate action and shared commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050,” Albanese said in a joint statement with Starmer.
“We share a vision for a modern and transformed Australia-United Kingdom relationship, which delivers tangible benefits and prosperity to both our nations and the Indo-Pacific.”
The two prime ministers also announced grant recipients under the separate Australia-UK Renewable Hydrogen Innovation Partnership Program, which will provide funding to six as-yet-unspecified projects focused on industrial decarbonisation.
“The UK and Australia share many things in common, including our governments’ determination to improve the lives of working people, drive economic growth and ensure cleaner, more affordable energy,” Starmer added.
“This partnership underscores our commitment to powering up the UK with clean energy projects that will benefit communities across the country.”
Climate change was a major topic of debate at last week’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. King Charles, the head of the grouping, is among the representatives of 56 countries, most of which have their roots in Britain’s empire.
More than half of those countries are small nations made up of low-lying islands at risk from rising sea levels. One of them is Tuvalu, whose Climate Change Minister Maina Vakafua Talia urged other member-states to reach for the Paris Accord’s warming goal of 1.5°C.
Write to Oliver Gray at Mining.com.au
Images: Twitter/@AlboMP
