A total of 12 businesses and MPs have pledged their support for the UK’s bid to host the 2020 UN COP26 climate conference.
The heads of Affinity Water, Anglian Water, BP, Capita, Centrica, Drax Group, GKN Automotive, Heathrow, innogy Renewables UK, National Grid, ScottishPower and Shell have written to the prime minister to make every effort to bring COP26 to the UK.
Around 162 MPs have also called on the government to use its diplomatic weight to bring the climate conference to the country in a separate letter to the prime minister.
Their call comes as the UK has formally bid to host the conference, with a decision on the host nation for the event expected to be made by foreign ministers from across Europe and the world towards the end of June.
At COP26, which is scheduled to take place in November 2020, governments are being asked to agree upon a vision for tackling climate change in the next decade and to set out the actions they will take to meet the agreed goals to limit warming to “well below” 2°C.
It will be the first time countries will come together to present updated Nationally Determined Contributions since the climate agreement was signed in Paris.
The letter from the businesses states: “Hosting COP26 would provide the UK with a platform to maximise the opportunities of the global shift to clean growth and showcase to the world the best of the UK.
“It would be the country’s moment to build further support for a clean growth trajectory, underscore ambitions for a net zero economy in line with the Paris Agreement and set out the opportunity of economic renewal through climate action.
“As leading businesses, we are coming together to back the UK’s bid. Hosting COP26 will put the UK exactly where it should be – at the forefront of climate action and creating the environment and commitment for the change our world needs.”
Technologies for energy users that can help them reduce costs and emissions will be among those on display at The Energy Solutions Show (TESS) on June 5th at Millennium Point, Birmingham.
If you wish to register as a delegate for free, you can send an e-mail here.
