The pact will enable better access for U.K. firms including Octopus Energy — the country’s biggest energy supplier — to California’s market, the U.K.’s Energy Security and Net Zero Department said.
It will also underpin collaboration between British and Californian research institutions and enshrine both sides’ continued commitment to international efforts to fight climate change through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) treaty. The Trump administration withdrew the U.S. from the UNFCCC earlier this year.
Striking a contrast, Newsom said California “will continue showing the world how we can turn innovation and ambition into climate action.”
“California is the best place in America to invest in a clean economy because we set clear goals and we deliver. Today, we deepened our partnership with the United Kingdom on climate action and welcomed nearly a billion dollars in clean tech investment from Octopus Energy,” he added.
Miliband said that “strong international partnerships” would strengthen “opportunities for U.K. businesses and secures investment for our country.”