UK-China Clean Energy Partnership

1. Background

1.1 The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK) and the People’s Republic of China (China) have established longstanding and deep collaboration in the field of clean energy, with respect to our respective emissions reductions and carbon neutrality or net zero targets committed by respective Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). This collaboration covers academic, research, regulatory, policy, standards, industrial, and commercial partnerships. Both countries are implementing policies to ensure energy affordability, security and sustainability, and to meet respective energy transition commitments.

1.2 In the areas of climate change and energy, the Participants recognise the urgency and significance of climate change, and agree that transitioning to net zero / carbon neutrality as quickly as possible, on the premise of ensuring energy security, will require an economy-wide effort.

1.3 The 10 years since the signing of the UK-China Clean Energy Partnership have demonstrated the importance of UK-China clean energy collaboration in green manufacturing, market reform, investment, and ministerial exchanges, in support of both countries’ efforts to reach net zero / carbon neutrality.

1.4 Building on the last 10 years of collaboration, and each country’s significant experience and expertise, the Participants believe that this new, updated Partnership has the potential to unlock the barriers to emissions reductions through further promoting the use of clean energy and the continued development of green technologies, supporting high-quality economic growth, facilitating mutual investment and regulatory engagement, and allowing trade in green goods and services.

2. Objectives

2.1 The objective of the Partnership is to increase the pace of the development and deployment of clean energy in the UK and China, to promote emissions reductions, energy security and economic growth in both countries. The Partnership will allow officials to continue to work together through existing tracks and through new activities to provide strategic direction for UK-China clean energy collaboration in research and development, innovation, policy, standards, academic, industrial, regulatory, multilateral and commercial areas. The Participants recognise that given their respective strengths in policy, markets, and research and innovation, an expanded Partnership will allow them to address the growing urgency of the energy transition and the importance of supporting continued economic growth while reducing emissions.

3. Areas of cooperation

4.1 The Participants will provide strategic direction to and review cooperation under this Partnership in a special session of the annual UK-China Energy Dialogue, alongside platforms and side events focused on areas of mutual interest for both countries in each of the areas outlined above.

4.2 Between these annual meetings the Participants are encouraged to meet by a joint decision at a ministerial and working level to deepen collaboration. The Participants may also consider running projects to support development of the Partnership and the establishment of other mechanisms, for example joint centres of expertise, working groups, supporting Memoranda of Understanding, capacity building, commercial or public-private arrangements, or teams of independent experts, to implement and advise on the objectives set out in this Partnership. Funding for such activities will be decided between the Participants on a case-by-case basis and may include commercial funding.

4.3 The Participants may encourage the establishment of direct relationships between businesses of both countries to promote enhanced trade and investment opportunities.

4.4 This Partnership will also consider and, where appropriate, conduct joint activities, working groups, or initiatives with other UK-China groupings, including but not limited to the JETCO (and any associated working groups), the Investment Working Group, and the Economic and Financial Dialogue.

5. Representation

5.1 The implementation of this Partnership will be led for the UK by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and for China by the National Energy Administration (NEA).

5.2 Each Participant will provide a contact person to co-ordinate with all interested parties in their respective countries and with the contact person of the other Participant. After each meeting the contact persons will jointly decide an action plan in consultation with their principals and each other.

6. Resources

6.1 Each Participant will be responsible for the costs they incur under this Partnership and will provide resources to support activity and projects under this Partnership in accordance with their respective national procedures and funding arrangements. Where both Participants decide, activities linked to this Partnership may be jointly funded. This might include, but is not limited to, funding from central and local governments, businesses, research organisations, academic institutions etc.

7. Commencement, duration and termination

7.1 This Partnership will come into effect on the date of its signature by both Participants and will continue in effect until terminated by either Participant giving 6 months written notice to the other. Unless jointly decided by the Participants, the termination of this Partnership will not prejudice the completion of any activities/programmes which have been decided upon prior to the date of termination. Amendments to this Partnership may be jointly determined in writing by the Participants at any time and will come into effect upon signature by both Participants.

7.2 The foregoing record represents the understandings reached between the Participants. This Partnership does not constitute a legally binding agreement or create any rights of obligations under domestic or international law. It does not affect the Participants’ rights and obligations derived from international agreements and conventions to which they are parties or their obligations under domestic law.

Read the full policy paper below.