Australia set for new climate initiative with the UK
The new initiative, to be announced at AUKMIN on Monday, will reinforce ‘Australia’s ambition to lead the world on clean energy with a deal to bring climate finance to Pacific Island countries.’
Australia has confirmed a new climate initiative with Britain, only weeks after rebuffing a nuclear pact.
On Monday the annual Australian-British ministerial meeting known as AUKMIN will reinforce what the British described as “Australia’s ambition to lead the world on clean energy with a deal to bring climate finance to Pacific Island countries and others on the frontline of the climate crisis”.
The agreement, the Global Clean Power Alliance Finance Mission, is meant to help unlock clean energy finance at scale and was agreed at CHOGM between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his British counterpart Sir Keir Starmer. Neither Britain nor Australia has provided any costings for the program.
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong are to meet with their British counterparts, John Healey and David Lammy in London on Monday to sign off the climate program and several other initiatives including extending Australian support for training Ukrainian Armed Forces, opening a new AUKUS submarine office in Bristol and to receive a deployment of the United Kingdom Carrier Strike Group to the country next year in a fresh show of the AUKUS military alliance.
The British government on Sunday said the UK supports Australia’s bid to host COP31 in partnership with the Pacific, noting that “climate change is one of the most pressing challenges of our time”.
It comes just weeks after both countries were left red-faced at COP 29 in Baku when Britain had anticipated that Australia, along with 30 other nations, would join its other big climate initiative, the fast tracking of civilian nuclear energy to help decarbonise industry. However at the COP summit, Climate Minister Chris Bowen rebuffed the idea and the Albanese government then had to defend “outlawing” nuclear energy as it faced accusations of being an international embarrassment.
But the British government said in a release on Sunday ahead of the AUKMIN meetings: “This government is committed to making Britain a clean energy superpower, and Australia shares the same ambition to lead the world on clean energy. Both the UK and Australia will commit to further enhanced co-operation to ensure climate finance reaches those on the frontline of the climate crisis, particularly Pacific Island Countries’’.
The Global Clean Power Alliance Finance Mission is to accelerate deployment of renewable energy technologies, such as green hydrogen and offshore wind, to support the economic resilience and decarbonisation goals of both countries.
Downing Street earlier announced that the mission was to try and triple renewable energy and double energy efficiency. Others who have signed up include the African Union, Barbados, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, Germany, Morocco, Norway and Tanzania.
Ministers Wong and Marles will also agree to receive a deployment of the United Kingdom Carrier Strike Group to the country next year in an overt exhibition of the AUKUS military alliance.
The Royal Navy’s Carrier Strike Group, led by HMS Prince of Wales, the first Queen Elizabeth-class carrier to conduct a port visit to Australia, will be deployed to the Indo-Pacific region in 2025, as a show of Britain’s commitment to the region. The strike force carrier group will also participate in Operation Sabre Talisman, the bilateral training exercise involving Australia and the United States from mid July.
In a fresh development, the UK and Australia are also developing strategic undersea warfare co-operation with a A$90m program for Australia to
equip its Hunter Class frigates with Thales’ 2087 sonar, claimed to be “world-leading” in detecting locating and classifying stealthy submarines.
The incorporation of the sonar on Australian boats will enable the UK and Australia to work together to develop underwater capability and share information, the British government says, adding it will contribute around £45 million to the UK economy.
The four ministers are also expected to discuss the rapidly changing situation in the Middle East with rebel forces taking control of Syria and ousting the Assad regime and the ongoing discussions among Hamas and Fatah as to how to present a palatable plan to resolve the Palestinian and Israel conflict in Gaza.
The series of meetings are to reinforce Australian and British commitment to the AUKUS defence program, with both countries considering it to be the most strategically important collaboration in decades.
British Defence Secretary, John Healey said: “Our unique and historic partnership with Australia is more important than ever in the face of increasing global threats.
“Today’s announcements demonstrate how our two nations, working in lockstep, can help drive jobs and growth while reinforcing our collective security.
“Through our joint support to Ukraine, AUKUS partnership and high-end military exercises, we are proving the value of co-operation in delivering security and prosperity in the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific.”
The new AUKUS office in Bristol, to be known as the Programme Interface Office, will co-ordinate and integrate UK and Australian AUKUS programs and supply chains.
The British government said this mission of “growth” is helping restore economic stability, increasing investment and reforming the economy to drive up prosperity and living standards across the UK.
In addition the AUKUS submarine program is estimated to generate 7000 additional British jobs, with as many as 21,000 people working on the supply chain of the nuclear powered submarine program at its peak.
British Foreign Secretary, David Lammy said: “The UK and Australia have a long and enduring friendship underpinned by close trade ties that are benefiting Brits and Aussies alike.
“The growth mission is the central mission of the government. We want to go further to deepen our co-operation with countries like Australia to boost economic growth, build supply chain resilience and transition to net zero.
“Together, we are modernising our partnership, working to tackle the biggest challenges around the world and furthering our co-operation on defence, security and foreign policy matters.”
Ministers are also expected to announce an extension of Australia’s commitment to Operation Interflex, the British led training of Ukrainian recruits, to the end of 2025. So far more than 50,000 Ukrainian recruits have been prepared for combat under the program.
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