On 8 October, Turkmen youth convened for the first ever Local Conference of Youth on Climate Change in a hybrid event organised by the British Embassy in Ashgabat, the United Nations, and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.

This conference, in the run up to the sixteenth session of the UN Climate Change Conference of Youth (COY16) taking place 28 to 31 October in Glasgow, brought together young people from educational institutions across Turkmenistan.

Together, they discussed and brainstormed the challenges, and responses posed by climate change. They shared experience, knowledge, and ideas to combat global climate change, discussing the key climate change issues that affect Turkmenistan and how to solve them.

As a result, young Turkmen leaders developed and adopted the Final Summary of Youth Initiatives in Turkmenistan, which will be included in the Global Youth Statement at COY16 and presented to world leaders at COP26 this November, as well as a Roadmap for Creative Climate Change Solutions that will implemented within the next year. It is expected that from now on the Youth Conference on Climate Change will be organised and conducted by Turkmen youth on an annual basis.

Senior UK and UN figures such as Jayathma Wickramanayake, the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, Nick Bridge, the United Kingdom’s Foreign Secretary’s Special Representative for Climate Change, and David Moran, COP26 Regional Ambassador for Europe, Central Asia, Turkey and Iran also joined the conference to support Turkmen youth.

The conference was one of a number of COP26-related events that the British Embassy in Ashgabat has organised jointly with international partners such as the United Nations and the Government of Turkmenistan.

Stressing the importance of the youth conference, Acting Deputy Head of Mission Mr Peter Dalby noted in his opening remarks:

We are now just less than a month away from these two major, international climate events. Now more than ever, young people and young voices are a vital part of the global conversation around climate change.

The UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties has recognised and endorsed COY16 as the official youth constituency of The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. COY16 gathers the voices of global youth to develop an official youth statement for the UN climate negotiations.

It also serves as a space for capacity building and policy training to prepare young people for their participation at COP26 and influencing international policy

The carbon dioxide (CO2) industry has come to an agreement to ensure UK businesses have access to a sustainable supply of CO2 – an essential component of the national economy.

CO2 suppliers have agreed to pay CF Fertilisers a price for the CO2 it produces that will enable it to continue operating while global gas prices remain high, drawing on support from industry and delivering value for money for the taxpayer.

This price for CO2 reflects the vital importance of this material to everything from our nuclear industry to hospitals to the food and beverage industry. CF Fertilisers produces around 60% of the UK’s commercial CO2 requirements.

In September, the government agreed an exceptional 3 week arrangement with CF Fertilisers that allowed the company to continue operating while the industry moved towards this agreement. This decisive and essential action ensured that industry could continue to function without the need for longer term financial intervention from the government, helping to protect taxpayers’ interests.

The government has supported by bringing the industry together to confirm today’s agreement. The deal runs until January 2022 and means that key sectors, including food processing and nuclear power, are ensured supplies of CO2.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said:

Today’s agreement means that critical industries can have confidence in their supplies of CO2 over the coming months without further taxpayer support.

The government acted quickly to provide CF Fertilisers with the support it needed to kick-start production, and give us enough breathing space to agree a longer-term, more sustainable solution.

I would like to thank all the parties involved in this agreement who have recognised the importance of avoiding supply disruptions and delivering for UK businesses and consumers.

Environment Secretary George Eustice said:

CO2 is vital for our food and drink sectors. The government has taken decisive action in these exceptional circumstances to allow a deal to be reached which will continue the supply of CO2 to businesses – including thousands of food and drink businesses – up and down the country.

Last week, Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng temporarily exempted parts of the CO2 industry from competition law to facilitate this agreement and provide further security of CO2 supplies to UK businesses.

In addition, major commercial CO2 producer Ensus reopened its Wilton plant last week following temporary closure for planned maintenance, further securing supplies. The Wilton plant can produce up to 40% of the UK’s CO2 requirements.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is today (Monday 11 October) meeting the foreign ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to agree a joint approach to building stronger economic, security and technology partnerships to counter malign actors.

Thirty years after they regained their independence, Truss will reaffirm the UK’s commitment to the Baltic countries and promise to work closely together to defend and advance freedom and democracy in the region.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said:

Britain supported the independence of the Baltic three in 1991 and thirty years on we still stand with them to advance the cause of liberty and protect our fundamental freedoms. Forging closer economic and security partnerships with allies like Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia will make us wealthier, safer and freer and put like-minded countries in a stronger position to face down bad actors.

I look forward to discussing how we can work together to build a global network of liberty and boost cooperation in vital areas like technology.

The UK is the lead nation for the NATO Battlegroup in Estonia, a clear sign of commitment to Baltic and European security. Ahead of the upcoming NATO Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Riga next month, the Foreign Secretary will reiterate that the UK is prepared to be tough on those who do not play by the rules.

This year marks a century of relations between the UK, Latvia and Estonia, with Lithuania’s 100 years due in 2022; and 30 years since the end of the Soviet occupation for the Baltic States.

The Foreign Secretary will also emphasise the need to work together to counter hostile activity from Russia; and will raise the recent migrant crisis on the Belarusian border, which Lukashenko appears to have engineered as an instrument to pressure our European partners. She will reiterate the UK’s support and solidarity with Lithuania and Latvia in dealing with this situation.

Truss will focus large parts of the discussion on strengthening economic ties with the Baltic countries, including in areas like technology, in line with her vision to create closer trade, investment and tech ties between allies and partners around the world.

She will host the 3 at Chevening House in Kent.