Ed Miliband and Gavin Newsom have formalised a new agreement aimed at enhancing cooperation between the UK and California on clean energy investment, innovation, and environmental resilience.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed in London, establishes a renewed framework to connect businesses and researchers across both economies, facilitating the scaling of technologies supporting the clean energy transition.
The partnership is designed to bolster transatlantic investment and create opportunities for UK companies in California’s clean energy market, while also enhancing collaboration between research institutions. The MoU includes commitments to share expertise on biodiversity protection and strengthening resilience for communities facing extreme weather, with the goal of reducing risks to homes, public services, and local economies.
Ed Miliband, the UK’s Energy Secretary, stated, “This government’s clean energy mission is about taking back control of our energy to cut bills, create jobs, and tackle the climate crisis. Strong international partnerships like today’s announcement with the State of California strengthen opportunities for UK businesses and secure investment for our country.”
Governor Gavin Newsom remarked, “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. California will continue showing the world how we can turn innovation and ambition into climate action.”
This agreement is significant given the current US federal policy direction. Since returning to the White House in January 2025, Donald Trump has sought to reverse elements of the US climate and clean energy agenda, including efforts to roll back clean energy tax incentives and to [revoke the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s 2009 “endangerment finding”](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn0zdd7yl4vo), which underpins much of the country’s greenhouse gas regulation.
California has reaffirmed its commitment to decarbonisation, with a pledge to reach net zero by 2045. This state-level partnership offers the UK a pathway to strengthen clean energy ties with California, even as federal priorities shift.
