For the first time, Ministers and representatives from some of the world’s largest and most progressive car markets have come together to form a new Zero Emission Vehicle Transition Council.

Hosted by the COP26 President, Alok Sharma, the Council met to discuss how to accelerate the pace of the global transition to zero emission vehicles.

These Ministers and representatives have agreed to collectively address some of the key challenges in the transition to ZEVs, enabling the transition to be faster, cheaper, and easier for all.  

The Council was made up of Ministers and representatives from California, Canada, Denmark, European Commission, France, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, South Korea and Sweden, the United Kingdom.

The following joint statement was released after the Council meeting.

1. A rapid global transition to zero emission vehicles is vital to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement on climate change. Road transport accounts for over 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and these emissions are rising. We need to dramatically increase the pace of the global transition to meet our Paris Agreement goals. This will also offer huge opportunities for jobs and growth, cleaner air, improved public health, and could also boost energy security and help balance electricity grids as we make the transition to clean power.

2. In response to this global challenge and historic opportunity, we met today as the Zero Emission Vehicles Transition Council to discuss how to increase the pace of the transition. As ministers and representatives from governments whose markets collectively account for around half of all new vehicle sales globally, we have a unique responsibility. The actions we take, in dialogue with industry, and also with businesses, cities and regions, and wider civil society, will determine the pace of the global transitions to zero emission vehicles. While our national contexts and policy approaches may differ, the transition will be faster, easier and lower cost for all if we work together.

3. We will use this forum to coordinate our efforts. We will act together to overcome strategic, political and technical barriers, accelerate the production of zero emission vehicles, and increase economies of scale. We will boost investment, bring down costs and increase the uptake of zero emission vehicles and the many economic, social and environmental benefits it brings.

4. We will explore specific opportunities for collaboration in areas including:

• a) aligning the future of the road transport sector with Paris Agreement goals, focusing on the role of zero emission technologies and key policies, while also considering the roles of alternative technologies in the transition,

• b) ensuring the transition to zero emission vehicles is truly global, leaving no country or region behind,

• c) ensuring the lifecycle (from production to scrapping) of zero emission vehicles is sustainable and inclusive,

• d) ensuring the enabling infrastructure is in place, including electric vehicle chargepoints and hydrogen vehicle re-fuelling, in the context of decarbonising the power sector and growing the hydrogen economy,

• e) coordinating our innovation efforts.

5.As we work to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, we recognise that the decisions we make today will be critical for laying the foundations for sustainable and inclusive growth. As such, we commit to ensuring our recovery plans support an accelerated transition to zero emission vehicles as part of broader efforts to boost growth and employment, while promoting cleaner and more sustainable economies.

Signatories:

• Alok Sharma, COP President and Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, UK
• Benny Engelbrecht, Minister of Transport, Denmark
• Jared Blumenfeld, California Secretary for Environmental Protection
• Jean-Baptiste Djebbari, Minister for Ecological Transition, France
• Kang Kyungsung, Deputy Minister, Trade and Investment, Ministry of Trade Industry and Energy, South Korea
• Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport, Canada
• Mathias Fischer, State Secretary, Ministry of Climate and Environment, Norway
• Shigehiro Tanaka, Vice-Minister for International Affairs, Japan
• Stientje van Veldhoven, State Secretary for Infrastructure & Water Management, Netherlands
• Teresa Ribera, Minister for the Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, Spain
• Tomas Eneroth, Minister for Infrastructure, Ministry of Infrastructure, Sweden
• Dr. Graciela Márquez Colín, Minister of Economy, Mexico

Today the Prime Minister spoke to Indian Prime Minister Modi.

The leaders discussed the work the UK and India are doing together across trade, climate change, defence, security and health. The Prime Minister said 2021 would be a year to deepen and strengthen the UK-India relationship.

The Prime Minister and Prime Minister Modi discussed joint efforts to find treatments and vaccines for coronavirus, and welcomed the collaboration between our countries’ leading scientists.

They looked forward to next month’s Climate Ambition Summit, which will be an opportunity to reinvigorate the global efforts against climate change ahead of the UK-hosted COP26 Summit next year.

The Prime Minister stressed the importance of improving bilateral trade and investment flows. Both leaders welcomed the extensive work that has taken place on this to date and shared an ambition for deepening the economic relationship.

The Prime Minister re-emphasised the UK’s commitment to the wider Indo-Pacific region and looked forward to the first deployment of the HMS Queen Elizabeth carrier group to the region next year.

Research News is our annual newsletter. It’s for anyone with a professional interest in flood and coastal erosion risk management.

From March 2021 you’ll find articles on current research and development across our programme.

1. The Defence Ministers from Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and United Kingdom reaffirmed their nations’ continued commitment to the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA), and commended the achievements over the past 49 years as the FPDA moves towards its 50th Anniversary in 2021.

2. The Ministers recognised the FPDA’s significant role and contribution in promoting cooperative responses to an increasingly complex contemporary security environment.

3. The Ministers extended their deepest sympathies to the countries, communities and individuals impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and noted the effective measures undertaken by FPDA nations’ in dealing with the pandemic and ensuring the well-being of their people, economic development as well as regional security and stability.

4. Assuring the resilience of the FPDA amidst these difficult times, the Ministers commended the FPDA Consultative Council (FCC), the FPDA Policy Group (FPG) and the FPDA Activities Coordinating Committee (FACC) leaders for their adaptability in utilising alternative platforms to ensure continuity in decision-making processes amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

5. The Ministers welcomed the growth in scope and depth of the FPDA over the last 49 years, which has evolved to introduce elements of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, counter-terrorism and maritime security into FPDA exercises and discussions whilst retaining its core focus on conventional warfare. This development has enabled FPDA to retain its relevance in an increasingly complex contemporary security environment.

6. The Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to the FPDA’s founding principles: to remain relevant and defensive in nature, and evolve at a ‘pace comfortable to all’. Complementing these founding principles, the “3Rs” principles of adhering to the FPDA’s Remit, maintaining Relevance and providing Reassurance to the region are cardinal in guiding the FPDA’s future outlook.

7. The Ministers appreciated the extensive effort by the members in planning and organising the FPDA activities despite the cancellation of exercises due to the pandemic situation. The Ministers also recognised the significant value that these activities offer, in enhancing cooperation on conventional military operations, building trust and confidence, developing greater people-to-people links and fostering interoperability between member nations’ armed forces.

8. The Ministers looked forward to marking the celebration of the FPDA’s 50thAnniversary in 2021. The Ministers agreed that the celebrations would showcase the FPDA’s integrated capability, commitment to transparency, and continued evolution to remain a relevant and trusted mainstay of regional security architecture.