Fusion energy promises a step change in the way the world’s future energy demands are met in a low-carbon, safe and sustainable way.

This will be the message from scientists and engineers from the fusion energy community to world leaders on the final day of the COP26 conference in Glasgow.

Fusion – the process that powers the sun and stars – promises a near-limitless low carbon energy source for the long term. It has the capability of meeting the global surge in electricity demand expected in the coming decades.

Professor Ian Chapman, UK Atomic Energy Authority CEO, said: “Fusion energy is low carbon, safe, efficient, and the fuels exist in abundance. It’s a gamechanger for our global energy future. I’m in no doubt that fusion will be a complementary part of the energy mix for generations to come. It’s one of the biggest scientific and engineering quests in history, up there with the Apollo programme, and the rewards for success will be huge for our planet.”

Fusion energy has been one of science and engineering’s biggest challenges yet. Teams of scientists and engineers around the world are working intensely on research and development breakthroughs in fusion, and these endeavours are continuing to gain momentum. The Joint European Torus (JET) is at the forefront of this research – as is the ITER project, a collaboration of 35 nations in the south of France.

The ITER members, including the USA, China, India, Japan, Korea and Russia, along with the European Union, are constructing one of the world’s largest international science and engineering collaborations in history. ITER is now in full assembly phase, and soon to be completed.

Dr Bernard Bigot, Director General of ITER and chair of the panel at COP26, said: “Fusion scientists and engineers are closer than ever to getting this revolutionary clean, sustainable energy switched on. Here in Glasgow, we are inviting leaders to look towards a future in which fusion is a key part of the worldwide zero carbon energy mix.”

Alongside international collaborations, more than US$2 billion of private investment has been pumped into a rapidly expanding number of innovative fusion companies.

This surge has led to fusion being classed as a critical piece of the future global energy puzzle, and complementary to other sustainable energy efforts.

The COP26 panel session is hosted by UKAEA and will stream live on the UK Government’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=v2WdlxZqLYM&feature=youtu.be. Representatives from UKAEA, University of Manchester, Max Planck Institute and Energy for the Common Good will also contribute.

UKAEA is a world leader in the drive to commercial fusion power, with plans well advanced for a prototype fusion power plant (STEP, the Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production), set to be operational in the early 2040s.

For media enquiries, further information and interview requests at COP26, please contact UKAEA Media Manager stuart.white@ukaea.uk.

Before heading back to London last week, I warned of the need to guard against false optimism and to not allow ourselves to think that the progress we need would be easy.

And today, having spoken with the Secretary-General, and having met negotiating teams, heads of delegations and others here at COP, it’s clear that after the surge of really positive, game-changing announcements last week on methane, on finance, on forests in particular, we are now firmly in the hard yards, the nuts and bolts of international climate diplomacy.

And the negotiations are getting tough.

And with just a few days remaining, there is still a huge amount to do.

We’ve made a difference, we hope, for our planet and our people.

We’ve moved the ball a long way down the pitch.

But now we’re stuck in a bit of a rolling maul to mix my football and rugby metaphors.

The line is in sight, but if we’re going to get there, we need a determined push to get us there.

We need to be more ambitious with better, more credible plans for implementation.

We have to bridge the gap between where we are and where we need to be if we’re going to cut emissions in half by 2030.

And we need to pull out all the stops if we’re going to do what we came here to do and that’s keep 1.5 alive and make Paris the success the world needs it to be.

Because while that 2016 agreement was a significant moment in the fight against climate change, it was ultimately a pledge of action still to come.

And it is very frustrating to see countries that have spent six years conspicuously patting themselves on the back for signing that promissory note in Paris quietly edging towards default now that vulnerable nations and future generations are demanding payment here in Glasgow.

And there really is no excuse because we know what is at stake here.

We’ve been hearing it all week.

We heard it from the President of Palau, Surangel Whipps Jr, who told me he spent five days travelling seven and a half thousand miles across nine time zones to make sure the voice of his people was heard.

The least we can do is pay attention when he says that if the big economies don’t do more we “might as well bomb” his islands.

We heard it from Simon Kofe, from the government of Tuvalu, who spoke to us not from a podium in a cosy conference room but knee-deep in a steadily rising Pacific Ocean.

And we heard it from Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados who so moved the opening ceremony when she warned that we are digging our own graves and asked when are the leaders finally going to lead.

And if you stood and applauded her, then you cannot now sit on your hands as the world asks you to act.

Because the world knows the mess our planet is in.

The world has heard leaders from every country, every continent stand here and acknowledge the need for action.

And the world will find it absolutely incomprehensible if we fail to deliver that.

The backlash from our people will be immense and it will be long-lasting.

And frankly, we will deserve their criticism and opprobrium.

Because we know what needs to be done.

We agree on what needs to be done.

We just need the courage to get on and do it.

So this is the time for everyone to come together and show the determination needed to power on through the blockages.

To look at the science with dispassionate eyes and think about how we can compromise, how we can be flexible to meet the needs of the planet.

And for world leaders who are back in their capitals to pick up the phone to their teams here and give them the negotiating margin, give them the space they need in which to manoeuvre so we can get this done.

Here in Glasgow, the world is closer than it has ever been to signalling the beginning of the end of anthropogenic climate change.

It’s the greatest gift we can possibly bestow on our children and grandchildren and generations unborn.

It’s now within reach, at COP26 in these final days, we just need to reach out together and grasp it.

And so my question for my fellow world leaders this afternoon as we enter the last hours of COP is will you help us do that?

Will you help us grasp that opportunity or will you stand in the way?

Natural England has today confirmed Swanscombe Peninsula as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in recognition of its national importance for plants, geology, birds and invertebrates – including one of the rarest spiders in the country.

The decision was taken by Natural England’s board at a public meeting and marks the last step in the designation process after the site was notified as a SSSI in March.

A valuable green space abundant in wildlife lying close to major urban areas, the 260 hectare site alongside the Thames Estuary forms a corridor of habitats connecting Ebbsfleet Valley with the southern shore of the River Thames between Dartford and Gravesend.

The site has been shaped by a number of industries including power generation, dredging, landfill and more than 150 years of chalk quarrying for cement production. These processes have left an incredible assortment of grassland, scrub, wetlands, grazing marsh and saltmarsh habitat, providing ideal conditions for a unique variety of wildlife.

The area is home to over 1,700 invertebrate species, which includes over a quarter of the UK’s water beetle species and more than 200 species that are considered of conservation importance. It is one of just two places in the UK where the critically endangered distinguished jumping spider is found, the other being West Thurrock Marshes in Essex.

The rich and varied habitats on the Peninsula also provide great conditions for breeding birds such as marsh harrier and bearded tit, and for nationally scarce plants threatened with extinction in Great Britain, such as the divided sedge and the slender hare’s ear.

In addition, the SSSI is a key geological site with deposits yielding fossils of large mammals and molluscs, as well as evidence of human occupation.

With a large population living close by, Swanscombe Peninsula has enormous value as a greenspace and refuge for people as well as wildlife. The England Coast Path, due to open in early 2022, will run around the northern boundary of the site, and with existing rights of ways provide people with important places to enjoy nature.

Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England, said:

The exceptional variety of birds, invertebrates, plants and geology on this site is an important reminder that nature often thrives in places that might seem scruffy and derelict at first glance. It also emphasises the need to ensure that nature is protected and restored in places where people live, so that they have easy access to the health, wellbeing and joy that nature can provide.

In confirming the designation today Natural England again reiterated its commitment to continuing to work with developers and planners to ensure that nature can thrive alongside developments proposed for this area.

James Seymour, Sussex and Kent Area Manager, Natural England, said:

The confirmation of Swanscombe Peninsula as an SSSI is great news for one of the richest known sites in England for invertebrates, providing a mosaic of habitats to support nature recovery across the wider landscape.

This area is living proof that some of our most important species can thrive right on the doorstep of some of our most densely populated towns and cities, and this new SSSI will offer opportunities for people to connect with nature via the England Coast Path. Working in collaboration with our partners, special places like this will form the vital backbone of a national nature recovery network.

Today’s decision is the culmination of extensive work by Natural England staff to assess the evidence for SSSI status and work with local people who have an interest in the site, including businesses, landowners and developers. Natural England is committed to maintaining these important relationships and working in collaboration to find solutions for the wildlife to thrive alongside the current and future uses of this special site.

Natural England recognises that there is interest in and consideration of potential development opportunities in the Swanscombe area. Designation of this site for its nationally important wildlife features is an important step towards ensuring that its environmental value is recognised and taken due account of in any future planning decisions.

There are over 4,100 SSSIs in England, covering around 8% of the country’s land area. More than 80% of these sites (by area) are internationally important for their wildlife and also designated as Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), Special Protection Areas (SPAs) or Ramsar sites. Many National Nature Reserves (NNRs) and Local Nature Reserves (LNRs) are also SSSIs.

The government has laid out its ambition in the 25 Year Environment Plan for a growing and resilient network of land, water and sea that is richer in plants and wildlife. It has also recently committed to protecting 30% of the UK’s land by 2030 which will result in over 4,000 square kilometres of new land in England being designated and protected, including SSSIs.

Natural England’s People and Nature survey has shown that almost 9 in 10 adults in England during lockdown reported that protection of the environment is important to them, and today’s move will help ensure that local communities in Swanscombe and the surrounding areas continue to benefit from these wildlife rich greenspaces long-term.

A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) is one of the country’s very best wildlife and/or geological sites. SSSIs include some of the most spectacular and beautiful habitats: wetlands teeming with wading birds, winding chalk rivers, flower-rich meadows, windswept shingle beaches and remote upland peat bogs, as well as much-loved woodlands, meadows, heathlands and wetlands close to where people live in our towns, cities and villages.

Natural England is the government’s adviser for the natural environment in England, helping to protect England’s nature and landscapes for people to enjoy and for the services they provide. Natural England is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. It is Natural England’s duty to notify an area as a SSSI when it believes the wildlife, habitat or geology is of special interest.

The Nature Recovery Network (NRN) will be a national network of wildlife rich places which will help us deal with 3 of the biggest challenges we face: biodiversity loss, climate change and wellbeing. Our aim is to expand, improve and connect these places across our towns, cities and countryside. Find out more.

On 11 March 2021, the SSSI was formally notified to landowners and occupiers and other interested parties. There followed a 4 month period in which anyone could make representations or object to the notification. There were 9 unresolved objections and a further 453 representations of which 428 were in support. The Natural England board considered all representations before deciding to confirm designation on 10 November 2021.