Thank you President.

Thank you to Special Envoy Geir Pedersen and ASG Joyce Msuya for their sobering briefings.

Let me join others in welcoming our new Irish colleague, Ambassador Fergal Mythen to the Council.

The UK continues to stand with the Syrian people in their desire for a sustainable solution to the Syrian conflict. As we have said many times, the only way to achieve this is through the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 2254. This includes: a nationwide ceasefire; unhindered aid access; release of the arbitrarily detained; conditions for safe, voluntary and dignified refugee return; and free and fair elections pursuant to a new constitution.

Special Envoy Pederson’s ongoing efforts to deliver 2254 have our full support.

We are disappointed that the regime continues to stall discussions on political and constitutional reform.  We are further disappointed that Russia has used the fallout of its own aggression in Ukraine as a pretext for undermining political progress in Syria, by asserting that Geneva should no longer be the venue for what should be Syrian-led and Syrian-owned Constitutional Committee talks.

While the Syrian regime continues to fail in its responsibility to respect the basic rights of Syrians, provide for their needs, or engage in the political process, the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate.

Currently, around 14.6 million Syrians require humanitarian assistance – more than 67% of the population and 12 million people are facing acute food insecurity this year.

The UK recognises that early recovery is necessary to address humanitarian needs. This is reflected in our support. Our funding has helped with the rehabilitation of water networks, provided agricultural training and inputs for livestock and vegetable production, and provided apprenticeships and small business grants to help create jobs.

But humanitarian assistance, and particularly cross-border assistance, remains a lifeline for millions. By reducing the UN cross border mandate from twelve to six months, resolution 2642 has caused uncertainty for the UN and its partners, impacting humanitarian operations and early recovery programming, a priority avowedly shared by Russia as well as other Council members.

We therefore call on all Security Council members to work together to ensure a renewed agreement this January to meet the critical needs of the Syrian people. Further uncertainty, or a closing of this lifeline at the height of winter, would be catastrophic for millions of people.

Drivers across Northern Ireland will soon be able to fill up with greener fuel when E10 petrol is rolled out as the new standard grade of petrol from 1 November 2022.

The rollout of E10, which is petrol blended with up to 10% renewable ethanol, will help Northern Ireland to decarbonise transport, as it is greener than existing petrol. Its use across the UK could contribute to cutting transport CO2 emissions in the UK by potentially 750,000 tonnes a year – equivalent to a forest the size of the Isle of Wight capturing carbon every year.

To help raise awareness of the upcoming switch, the UK government is today (29 August 2022) launching an information campaign for motorists in Northern Ireland that will see new fuel pump labels as well as targeted digital, radio and social media advertising. 

While 95% of petrol cars will be compatible, the campaign will encourage those who are unsure to check their vehicle can use the fuel using our online compatibility checker tool. This will ask you for information about your car before checking a database highlighting your car’s compatibility.

As well as playing a part in the UK’s ambitions to decarbonise transport and reach its net zero goals, according to industry, the rollout of E10 petrol could support thousands of jobs throughout the supply chain and boost job opportunities across the country.

This is something that Vivergo, a British ethanol producer, has already seen, with 100 new jobs since E10’s introduction in Great Britain and as we work towards decarbonisation, this will hopefully be a sign of more opportunities.

Decarbonisation Minister Trudy Harrison said:

We’re determined to cut emissions from all our roads and clean up our air, as we accelerate towards a zero-emission transport future.

Although more and more motorists are driving electric vehicles, there are steps we can take to reduce emissions from the millions of vehicles already on our roads. The small switch to E10 petrol will not only help drivers across the country reduce their environmental impact, but also could create thousands of jobs across the UK.

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Shailesh Vara said:

The government is committed to supporting the growth of green energy across the UK and the introduction of E10 petrol will help reduce emissions of carbon dioxide on Northern Ireland roads.

The decarbonisation of transport methods has an important part to play in achieving the UK’s net zero goals as well as creating opportunities for growth in our economy.

Gaynor Hartnell, Chief Executive of the Renewable Transport Fuel Association (RTFA) said:

Most petrol cars on the road are optimised to run on E10, and it’s very welcome that motorists in Northern Ireland will soon benefit from having access to this greener fuel.

The introduction of E10 will see renewable ethanol in petrol double, from the current petrol blend E5 containing no more than 5% ethanol, further reducing emissions from millions of cars in line with our climate targets.

A small number of older vehicles, including classic cars and some from the early 2000s, will continue to need E5 fuel, which is why supplies of E5 petrol will be maintained in the ‘super’ petrol grade. Motorists are advised to use the E10 compatibility checker to see if their vehicle is compatible.