• 22 regions, 452 cities, 1,128 businesses, 549 universities and 45 of the biggest investors have now joined the Race to Zero, the global campaign for a zero-carbon world, including Facebook and Ford
• UK Government launches the COP26 Energy Transition Council, which brings together political, financial and technical leaders in the global power sector to accelerate the transition to clean energy
• £50 million UK Government funding invested in a new Clean Energy Innovation Facility, which aims to support innovative clean technologies in developing countries

COP26 President and Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Alok Sharma will announce a series of new climate commitments today at the launch of Climate Week NYC, which runs alongside the UNGA.

He will confirm that major new companies have joined the Race to Zero campaign to accelerate net zero commitments from businesses, cities, regions and investors, including Ford, the first US automotive company to join; LafargeHolcim, the world’s largest cement company; and global social media company Facebook. Their decision demonstrates the clear momentum behind the shift towards a decarbonised economy.

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Lord Callanan, will also be speaking at a special event on Monday, about the next decade of clean energy cooperation.

Lord Callanan will announce the launch of the COP26 Energy Transition Council to bring together leaders in the power sector across politics, finance and technology to speed up the transition from coal to renewables in developing countries.

The UK will chair the Council alongside the co-chair Damilola Ogunbiyi, the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative for Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL). Together, members will drive the shift to green energy ahead of COP26.

The launch of the Council comes as the UK Government announces a £50 million investment in a new Clean Energy Innovation Facility (CEIF) under the UK’s International Climate Finance.

This funding will help developing countries more easily access innovative clean energy technologies to foster clean growth, focusing on key sectors such as industry, cooling, smart energy and storage.

Alok Sharma, COP26 President and UK Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, said:

Climate change affects every single one of us and we all have a part to play to champion climate action ahead of COP26.

Through the Energy Transition Council and the UK’s ambitious climate finance commitments, I hope to drive the transition to cleaner energies, and I urge all businesses, cities and regions to join the Race to Zero coalition.

Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), said:

We cannot achieve the promise of the Paris Agreement or Sustainable Development Goal 7 – access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all – without a clean energy transition that leaves no one behind.

Today, just under 800 million people globally lack access to electricity and we must close these gaps with renewable, efficient and affordable solutions.

The COP26 Energy Transition Council will play a leading role in supporting countries to move away from fossil fuels and unleash a prosperous, equitable and clean energy transition as they recover better from the pandemic.

Ahead of COP26, the UN High Level Dialogue on Energy will support this vision, including through Energy Compacts and multi-stakeholder partnerships that aim to accelerate universal energy transition and access.

Patricia Espinosa, UNFCCC Executive Secretary, said:

Those involved in the Race to Zero have made a commitment to build that future and to achieve specific goals and will be held to those promises.

The world cannot afford to be let down. Nor can this campaign become something that allows nations to defer action until a later date. It’s about needing more climate ambition and climate action now—in 2020.

Notes to editors

The ‘COP26 & the Zero Carbon Growth Agenda’ opening event at Climate Week NYC will bring together global leaders from business and government including:

• Alok Sharma, COP26 President and UK Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
• Michael R. Bloomberg, Founder, Bloomberg LP & Bloomberg Philanthropies, 108th Mayor of New York City
• Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary, UN Climate Change

The event will be convened by Nigel Topping and Gonzalo Muñoz, UN High Level Climate Champions and leaders of the Race to Zero campaign, in a collaboration with the Climate Group, to showcase how the economic net zero transformation is accelerating and highlight the scale of the opportunity to create good jobs, protect public health and level up society.

• Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) can now join the SME climate hub, a toolkit which makes it easier for them to join the Race to Zero. The hub is run by the International Chamber of Commerce and Exponential Roadmap with the support of the UNFCCC.
• Lord Callanan will announce the Energy Transitions Council in an event from the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) and Mission Innovation (MI), on clean energy cooperation, where he will be joined by other Council members: International Energy Agency Executive Director, Fatih Birol, International Renewable Energy Agency Director General, Francesco La Camera, and Damilola Ogunbiyi, UN Secretary General’s Special Representative for Sustainable Energy for All

Full list of members of the Energy Transitions Council

• Chair: COP26 President, Alok Sharma. Minister Kwarteng as Deputy Chair.
• Co-Chair: CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Sustainable Energy for All, Co-Chair of UN-Energy, Damilola Ogunbiyi
• International Energy Agency (IEA) Executive Director, Fatih Birol
• International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Director General, Francesco La Camera
• World Bank (WB) Managing Director of Development Policy and Partnerships, Mari Pangestu
• African Development Bank (AfDB) Vice President Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth, Kevin Kariuki
• Asian Development Bank (ADB) Vice President for Sustainable Development, Bambang Susantono
• International Labour Organisation (ILO) Director of Enterprise, Victor Van Vuuren

Funding for the Clean Energy Innovation Facility forms part of the UK Government’s International Climate Finance spend, which refers to UK aid support given to developing countries to deal with the causes of climate change and to prepare for its effects.

The UK has committed at least £11.6 billion from 2021/22 to 2025/26.

About Race to Zero

Race to Zero is the international campaign for a healthy, resilient zero carbon recovery.

Led by the UNFCCC Champions for Climate Action, it aims to bring together net zero commitments from cities, businesses and investors across the climate action community in the run up to COP26.

Race to Zero collaborates with the following international networks and initiatives, which have independently been mobilising net zero commitments. All of them require their participants to meet the Race to Zero’s minimum criteria:

• The Argentinian Network of Municipalities
• B Corporations
• The B Team
• Business Ambition for 1.5 C – Our Only Future
• C40’s Deadline 2020
• Chambers Climate Coalition
• Fashion Charter for Climate Action
• Global Universities and Colleges for the Climate
• ICLEI- Local Governments for Sustainability
• Net-Zero Asset Owners Alliance
• United States Climate Alliance
• Under2Coalition
• We Mean Business
• The Climate Pledge
• TED Countdown

COP26 Press: cop26media@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

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The UK will showcase the very best of British food and drink, as well as UK excellence across a range of sectors at this year’s China International Import Expo (CIIE). A unique digital offer will enable audiences across the country to connect with pioneering UK innovation.

• The UK will have a 300 sqm UK pavilion at CIIE themed with Food is GREAT
• Besides the physical pavilion, the UK’s digital platform enable people to experience the best of British
• The UK delegation will see more than 120 companies across sectors with leading brands in agriculture, food and drink.

A unique digital offer will enable audiences across the country to connect with pioneering UK innovation.

Taking place both online and offline from November 5 to 10, this year’s CIIE will see more than 180 countries, regions and international organisations, and over 3,800 industry-leading enterprises participate.

Building on the legacy of the inaugural 2018 CIIE where the UK was Country of Honour, the UK is proud to work with China’s Ministry of Commerce and the CIIE Bureau to showcase the very best of the UK in 2020.

UK presence both online and offline

Themed Food is GREAT, the 300-sqm-UK pavilion at CIIE will demonstrate how the UK’s most pioneering, sustainable goods and services can meet the needs of Chinese consumers. It will provide an innovative opportunity for Chinese businesses to engage with a range of world-renowned UK brands across sectors.

In addition to the physical pavilion, the UK’s cutting-edge digital platform will provide a unique opportunity for Chinese companies and consumers to experience the best of British at their fingertips. Launching in late September, the unique digital platform houses a UK-China business-matching function, which will allow Chinese buyers and UK companies to meet virtually.

Not only will the pavilion showcase some of the UK’s most popular food and drink products, it will also provide a unique platform for Chinese businesses, investors and consumers to connect with UK companies. A number of online and offline wraparound events will also take place, exploring how the UK and China can work together to further boost the trading relationship between the two countries. The UK programme at CIIE will include a series of thought leadership talks, business seminars, product demonstrations and business matching events.

A strong UK delegation focusing on agriculture, food and drink

The UK delegation will see more than 120 companies across sectors with leading brands in agriculture, food and drink. World-leading company Diageo is the UK’s Strategic Partner for CIIE, with activity set to include a range of interactive tasting events alongside educational sessions on responsible drinking.

Other partners joining the Department for International trade at the Pavilion include:

• Baijiu Evolution
• Slimfast
• Kendal Nutricare
• Ahmad Tea
• Wild Bean Café by BP.

CIIE will also provide a snapshot of the range of food and drink from across the UK, with dedicated regional showcases planned for Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Midlands and North of England.

Post-EU exit and as the world recovers from COVID-19, CIIE provides an excellent opportunity for the UK and China to further deepen our trading relationship. UK-China trade hit a record breaking £100bn in 2019 and British and Chinese companies signed £2bn worth of deals at 2018’s CIIE.

John Edwards, HM Trade Commissioner for China said:

The UK’s participation in CIIE 2020 will be more innovative and dynamic than ever. Not only will our physical pavilion embody the best of the UK, our pioneering digital pavilion and interactive events will enable audiences across China to connect with the very best of the UK.

From food and drink, to energy and agriculture, we will provide a unique insight in to the UK and ensure interactive, accessible and dynamic ways for Chinese and British businesses to collaborate.

Ministers today ended rail franchising after 24 years as the first step in bringing Britain’s fragmented network back together.

The new system will create a simpler, more effective structure and will take shape over the coming months. The first stage, today, is moving operators onto transitional contracts to prepare the ground for the new railway.

From this morning, franchising is replaced with more demanding Emergency Recovery Management Agreements (ERMAs). These address the continuing impact of the pandemic on the railway and delivers on a government commitment to replace the current franchising system.

These management agreements have tougher performance targets and lower management fees. The new contracts allow us to make an early start on key reforms, including requiring operators to co-ordinate better with each other and driving down the railways’ excessive capital costs.

Management fees will now be a maximum of 1.5% of the cost base of the franchise before the pandemic began. The ERMAs are a transitional stage to the new system, the biggest change to the railways in a quarter of a century.

Under current public health guidance, the intention is also for operators to run an almost full service to ensure there is space to help passengers travel safely.

ERMAs pave the way for wider rail industry reform that prioritises the passenger. In 2018 Keith Williams, the chairman of Royal Mail, was asked to review the railways after a chaotic timetable change and the failure of some franchises.

Today’s announcement, which has his full support, is the prelude to a white paper which will respond to his recommendations. The white paper will be published when the course of the pandemic becomes clearer.

The Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, said:

The model of privatisation adopted 25 years ago has seen significant rises in passenger numbers, but this pandemic has proven that it is no longer working.

Our new deal for rail demands more for passengers. It will simplify people’s journeys, ending the uncertainty and confusion about whether you are using the right ticket or the right train company. 

It will keep the best elements of the private sector, including competition and investment, that have helped to drive growth, but deliver strategic direction, leadership and accountability.

Passengers will have reliable, safe services on a network totally built around them. It is time to get Britain back on track.

Until passenger numbers return, significant taxpayer support will still be needed, including under the transitional contracts announced today. But the reforms will enable substantial medium and longer-term savings for taxpayers.  

Keith Williams, chair of the Williams Review, said:

These new agreements represent the end of the complicated franchising system, demand more from the expertise and skills of the private sector, and ensure passengers return to a more punctual and co-ordinated railway.

I am ensuring the recommendations I propose are fit for a post-COVID world, but these contracts kickstart a process of reform that will ensure our railways are entirely focused on the passenger, with a simpler, more effective system that works in their best interest.

People will be required by law to self-isolate from 28 September, supported by payment of £500 for those on lower incomes who cannot work from home and have lost income as a result. New fines for those breaching self-isolation rules will start at £1,000 – bringing this in line with the penalty for breaking quarantine after international travel – but could increase to up to £10,000 for repeat offences and for the most egregious breaches, including for those preventing others from self-isolating.

For example, this could include business owners who threaten self-isolating staff with redundancy if they do not come to work, sending a clear message that this will not be tolerated.

A number of steps will be taken to make sure that people are complying with the rules, these include:

• NHS Test and Trace call handlers making regular contact with those self-isolating, with the ability to escalate any suspicion of non-compliance to Local Authorities and local police;
• Using police resources to check compliance in highest incidence areas and in high-risk groups, based on local intelligence;
• Investigating and prosecuting high-profile and egregious cases of non-compliance; and
• Acting on instances where third parties have identified others who have tested positive, but are not self-isolating.

Recognising that self-isolation is one of the most powerful tools for controlling the transmission of Covid-19, this new Test and Trace Support payment of £500 will ensure that those on low incomes are able to self-isolate without worry about their finances.

Just under 4 million people who are in receipt of benefits in England will be eligible for this payment, which will be available to those who are required to self-isolate from 28 September.

Local Authorities will be working quickly to set up these self-isolation support schemes and we expect them to be in place by 12 October. Those who start to self-isolate from 28 September will receive backdated payments once the scheme is set up in their Local Authority.

This financial support comes as the government places a legal requirement on people to self-isolate when instructed to by NHS Test and Trace and introduces tougher fines for breaking the rules.

Many people are following the rules around self-isolation, but these steps will make sure more do and help ensure the public do not unknowingly spread the virus.

The Prime Minister said:

The best way we can fight this virus is by everyone following the rules and self-isolating if they’re at risk of passing on coronavirus. And so nobody underestimates just how important this is, new regulations will mean you are legally obliged to do so if you have the virus or have been asked to do so by NHS Test and Trace.

People who choose to ignore the rules will face significant fines. We need to do all we can to control the spread of this virus, to prevent the most vulnerable people from becoming infected, and to protect the NHS and save lives.

And while most people are doing their absolute level best to comply with the rules, I don’t want to see a situation where people don’t feel they are financially able to self-isolate.

That’s why we’re also introducing a new £500 Test and Trace Support payment for those on low incomes who are required by NHS Test and Trace to remain at home to help stop the spread of the virus.