The growing spectre of diverse threats such as terrorism, hostile state activity and climate change underlines the vital importance of the UK-France relationship, the Defence Secretary has said in Paris.

During talks with his counterpart, French Minister for the Armed Forces Madame Florence Parly, in France on Monday alongside the UK and French Foreign Secretaries, Ben Wallace pointed to the shared challenges the two countries face on the European and global stage.

They addressed key security and foreign policy issues including new fields of co-operation on emerging technologies, European security and joint work concerning Russia, Iran, Afghanistan and the Indo-Pacific.

The UK has enjoyed strong co-operation with France since the 2010 Lancaster House Treaties, including tackling Daesh’s terrorism in the Middle East and supporting the stabilisation of the Sahel region of Africa.

The UK-France Combined Joint Expeditionary Force (CJEF) has reached full operating capability, meaning it is able to deploy 10,000 or more personnel on combat operations under one command. Meanwhile, France and the UK are collaborating on ground-breaking capability from next generation missiles technologies to future combat air systems.

Just last week, RAF Chinook helicopters serving in Mali in support of the French-led counter-terror operation supported recovery operations after a French Mirage 2000 jet crew ejected from the aircraft.

The UK helicopters, providing a heavy lift combat support role in Mali, were ideally placed to transport around 60 French troops to secure the area. The Chinooks later lifted a French accident investigation team and an Explosive Ordnance Disposal team to the location south of Hombori. Throughout the sorties the RAF helicopters were escorted by French Tiger attack helicopters.

After meeting his counterpart Mme Florence Parly, the Defence Secretary said:

United by our shared beliefs, I look forward to our continued cooperation with France as we take on the shared threats and challenges we face in an age of constant competition.

During the talks, the Defence Secretary pointed to the ambition of the UK’s recent Integrated Review and Defence Command Paper, bolstered by £24 billion of extra government investment. He said that as leaders in NATO and nations who share truly global interests, the UK and France have a responsibility to stand together, whether through unprecedented cooperation on nuclear issues, championing NATO reform or by supporting collective security from the Black Sea to the High North.

Last month saw the two aircraft carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth and the Charles De Gaulle sail side-by-side in the Mediterranean Sea for the first time. The UK looks forward to strengthening the partnership with greater cooperation in space, cyberspace, Artificial Intelligence and autonomy.

• Record numbers expected to holiday at home this summer
• Visitors urged to ‘know before you go’ to blue spaces
• Check water quality before taking the plunge

Staycationers are being urged to become #WaterWarriors and make the right choices when visiting beaches, rivers and lakes this summer in a new Environment Agency campaign launched today.

Record numbers are expected to holiday at home due to ongoing coronavirus uncertainties, with an estimated 30 million people expected to visit our beaches (source: RNLI), and still more visiting rivers and lakes across the country.

Many will flock to popular English beaches and lakes designated as bathing waters to swim and enjoy the country’s blue spaces.

Visitors are being encouraged to ‘know before you go’ by checking the Environment Agency’s Swimfo website, which provides instant, easy access to information on over 400 bathing waters in England, including the latest water quality classification – and, for some bathing waters, when warnings are issued due to the temporary effects on water quality after a rainy day or high tides. Having this information at the fingertips ensures people have the most up-to-date information before they take the plunge.

Joint advice with Public Health England is also available on open water swimming – that’s swimming anywhere that isn’t a public pool – at Swim healthy.

Staycationers are also being encouraged to consider how their actions, whether at home or on holiday, can affect water quality and to remember a few simple actions they can take to protect blue spaces for everyone:

• only flush the 3Ps – pee, poo and paper
• never pour fats and oils down the sink 
• never flush wet wipes and sanitary products down the loo 
• always take your rubbish away from the beach 
• always bag and bin your dog’s poo 
• never pour waste liquids or throw litter down surface water drains 

Simon Moody, Area Director for Solent and South Downs at the Environment Agency, said:

From the splendour of the chalk cliffs of Sussex to the sandy expanses of Isle of Wight beaches, Hampshire, Sussex and the Isle of Wight will see more people than ever taking a staycation and enjoying time in and around our glorious beaches, rivers or lakes this summer, it’s vital to know how we can all protect them.

That’s why this summer we’re calling on people to check the Swimfo site for bathing water quality and follow #WaterWarriors on our social media channels.

The quality of bathing water across the South is very high, but it is always a good idea to check the water quality before you visit and whether any pollution warnings are in force. With the potential for some beaches being very crowded this summer, it’s also an opportunity to search out some of the quieter spots. We want people to use the water safely, be aware of the risks and seek the right advice before taking the plunge.

There is a lot going on to protect and enhance the environment, but as well as regulation and large scale investment, individual actions in your home, or at your holiday accommodation, really do make a difference. Wet wipes, kitchen towels, sanitary products, fats, oil and grease don’t belong down the drain, but are still found in huge quantities, leading to blockages and poor water quality. Enjoy your local environment this summer and do all you can to leave it for others to enjoy too.

With many events being organised worldwide ahead of the COP26 in Glasgow on 31 October – 12 November 2021, #RaceToZero is the largest global alliance racing to halve emissions by 2030.

On 8 July, the British Ambassador to Turkey, Sir Dominick Chilcott, chaired the virtual UK-Turkey Race to Zero Summit. The summit was organised in collaboration with the Turkish Industry and Business Association (TÜSİAD), and called the businesses to be a part of global action in achieving net-zero emission goals.

The event was one of the largest COP26 engagements in the region to date, with more than 270 participants from UK and Turkish businesses, institutions, and NGOs joining the 90-minute event, to discuss how businesses in the UK and in Turkey are combatting climate change and successfully making commercially viable commitments to net-zero emissions.

The event demonstrated the significant appetite for increasing ambition on corporate climate action in Turkey, which was endorsed by COP26 President-Designate Alok Sharma, during his visit to Turkey in June this year.

Keynote speeches

The Rt Hon. Graham Stuart MP, Minister for Exports and Simone Kaslowski, President of TÜSİAD delivered keynote addresses. Minister Stuart called on businesses to set ambitious target to reach net-zero by 2050, and highlighted the importance of the UK and Turkey’s role in driving global climate action, as G20 members.

Simone Kaslowski, President of TÜSİAD, used his keynote speech to echo Minister Stuart’s call for businesses to deliver credible commitments to reach net-zero, and emphasised the importance of corporate climate targets in providing clarity and confidence to markets and investors.

Presentations

The event then moved to presentations from UK and Turkish companies, which showcased opportunities for private sector climate action, and industry best practice on achieving net-emissions.

The event saw presentations from Kürşat Apan (Supply Chain Director, Mey Diageo), Hakan Bulgurlu (CEO, Arçelik), Hasan Süel (External Affairs Director, Vodafone), and Haluk Kürkçü (CEO, Brisa).

Presenters highlighted their companies’ strategies for climate change and achieving net-zero emissions. They addressed the need to adopt a whole-of-supply chain approach to sustainable practices and manufacturing, as well as to catalyse effective ownership of the climate agenda across corporate leadership, in order to mobilise commitments from stakeholders and investors.

Panel discussion

The day concluded with a panel discussion on how businesses can take a lead in the Race to Zero, moderated by Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Turkey, Lord Janvrin. The panel included Enis Amasyalı (CEO, Borusan EnBW Enerji), and Rachael Everard (Head of Sustainability, Rolls Royce).

Panellists agreed on the need for businesses to accelerate their reduction of carbon emissions and climate resilience programmes, which has been put into focus through businesses’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic. They shared their experience in implementing net-zero targets across major corporate operations. Rachael Everard stressed that companies should use data to drive their climate change strategies and identify where net-zero targets can have the greatest impact.

The Race to Zero Summit closed with comments from Sir Dominick Chilcott KCMG (Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of Turkey), who called for businesses and organisation to make their pledge and join the Race to Zero, and thanked TÜSİAD and businesses for their climate leadership in Turkey.

Ahead of the UK’s COP26 Presidency, the UK-Turkey Race to Zero Summit demonstrated the growing momentum and appetite for ambitious climate action throughout the private sector, and highlighted the power of effective public and private partnership.

The DIT and FCDO Turkey network will continue engaging closely with businesses ahead of the COP26 Climate Summit in November, to ensure the growing momentum for corporate climate action is sustained.

The UK looks forward to continue working closely with Turkey, TÜSİAD and the Turkish business community through future activities on green finance, clean energy, and sustainable infrastructure, and towards achieving a mutually ambitious outcome at COP26.

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