- New climate and tech partnerships
announced to benefit all by tackling global challenges, as
Development Minister will attend the G20
Development Ministerial Meeting in Varanasi today (Monday)
- He will join India and G20 partners
in calling for reinvigorated efforts to to meet the UN’s
Sustainable Development Goals.
- The new UK support includes funding
for a tech start-up focussed on sustainable agriculture,
including through growing vegetables in an
environmentally-friendly way.
International Development Minister is in India for the G20
starting today (Monday) – and to boost UK-India cooperation on
development including through climate and tech partnerships.
He will reinforce at the gathering in Varanasi how the UK’s
partnerships and investments are having a multiplier effect in
tackling the biggest shared challenges of today – including
climate change, poverty and food insecurity.
The G20 Development Ministerial meeting in Varanasi is laying the
groundwork to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable
Development Goals ahead of the G20 Leader’s Summit in New Delhi
this September.
At the G20, the UK emphasised the need to redouble global efforts
to tackle the climate crisis and shocks facing the most
vulnerable countries demonstrating our position as a development
leader set out earlier this year
New UK programmes announced in India include an investment of
£10m in Avaana Fund, a women led climate-tech fund which supports
innovative businesses to develop solutions to climate change and
create jobs for women in sectors such as clean energy, energy
storage and agriculture.
An investment of £12m from the UK Government-supported Neev II
fund will go to Nutrifresh, an Agri-Tech start-up enterprise
focused on making agriculture more sustainable by growing
vegetables in an environmentally friendly way.
Yesterday (Sunday), Minister Mitchell visited the Chakr
Innovation research lab in Delhi, which is developing
cutting-edge tech to tackle climate challenges.
The UK-supported lab is now developing innovative batteries for
e-vehicles which do not need charging infrastructure and are
fully recyclable, providing a cleaner and safer alternative to
older Lithium tech. The lab has previously developed devices that
capture pollution-causing emissions and convert it to pigment for
black inks and paints.
Targeted investments like these play a central role in tackling
climate change and supporting sustainable development. They
improve access to clean energy, create jobs and boost economic
growth, all of which are vital to ending
poverty.
UK Minister for Development
said:
“We commend India for putting development and the needs of
the poorest and most vulnerable at the heart of its G20
Presidency. The UK is committed to working with G20 partners to
tackle the climate crisis and reduce poverty.
“The UK’s new investments in India will deepen our
collaboration, underlining the UK’s focus on mutually beneficial
partnerships. Make no mistake: these investments benefit
the British taxpayer while delivering world-changing solutions. I
am proud that the UK is supporting such visionary and innovative
endeavours that are needed to achieve development progress across
the globe.”
, Acting British High
Commissioner to India, said:
“The announcements highlight the UK’s commitment to
delivering the 2030 Roadmap – a partnership that delivers for
both our countries.
“As set out in the UK’s International Development Strategy,
we are focused on delivering clean and green infrastructure and
creating opportunities for women and girls.”
The investments will strengthen the UK’s trading relationship in
the region and help drive growth - one of the government's five
priorities
Notes to Editors
- Minister Andrew Mitchell’s two-day (11-12 June) visit to
India will include engagements in Delhi and Varanasi
- The 2030 Roadmap for India-UK future relations was launched
in 2021. Since then, significant progress has been made,
including on health collaboration, advTancing the transition to
clean energy, cyber-security cooperation and the expansion of our
defence and security partnership.
- The UK’s development finance institution and impact investor
British International
Investmenthelps to solve the biggest global development
challenges by investing flexible capital to support private
sector growth and innovation. British Investment
Partnership work with India towards green transition, investing
in sustainable agriculture, reducing the pressure on natural
resources and creating new jobs.
- The Neev II fund invests in
small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that focus on limiting and
increasing resilience to climate and environmental changes and
are aiding India in meeting its carbon emissions reduction
targets by 2030.
