Policy paper

UK–California memorandum of understanding

Published 16 February 2026

Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland  and the Government of the State of California of the United States of America

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The Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (‘the United Kingdom’) and the Government of the State of California of the United States of America (‘California’), hereinafter referred to as ‘the Participants,’ declare as follows:

Whereas the United Kingdom and California maintain strong historic and cultural ties;

Whereas the Participants have a history of ongoing engagement and collaboration related to clean energy, carbon pricing, and climate adaptation;

Whereas the Participants aim to deepen their already well-established relationship to address climate change and promote sustainable development, including through research, innovation, and deployment of technology;

Whereas the Participants recognize that deep commercial ties and links between innovation, research, the responsible advancement of emerging technologies, and climate action are fundamental to economic growth and prosperity;

Whereas the United Kingdom has a legislated target to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, and California has a legislated target to achieve carbon neutrality as soon as possible and no later than 2045;

Whereas the Participants support the goals of the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, recognize the urgency of addressing global climate change, and aim to strengthen bilateral cooperation to decarbonize their economies, protect residents from the worst effects of climate change, promote sustainable growth, secure the resources needed for the energy transition, enable research exchange and technology advancement, and develop skilled and modern workforces;

Whereas the Participants aspire to accelerate and secure the significant social and economic benefits that can accompany climate action, the protection of the environment and biodiversity, and the abatement of chemical, air, and water pollution and waste in building a greener and more resilient planet;

Whereas the Participants recognize the role of ambitious climate action in maintaining competitiveness in research, technology, entrepreneurship, and innovation, which are fundamental to economic growth and prosperity. Furthermore, accelerating the commercialization of green innovations is key to achieving economy-wide targets for net-zero emissions and carbon neutrality, while enabling success in the global innovation economy and the growth of domestic businesses;

Whereas the Participants recognize that the development, adoption, and scaling up of clean technologies such as hydrogen; carbon capture, utilization, and storage; and greenhouse gas removals; among others, is critical to meet the Participants’ respective emission reduction goals, along with supporting the responsible advancement of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, fusion, and related research;

Whereas further collaboration between the Participants on building their bioeconomies would help them to achieve their objectives for climate change mitigation and adaptation, community stability, economic growth and quality of life, and biodiversity;

Therefore, the Participants have reached the following understanding:

Section I: Objective

1. The purpose of this Memorandum of Understanding is to establish a flexible framework between the Participants in order to continue to address climate change, promote sustainable development, protect the natural environment, and promote responsible innovation while growing our economies. In doing so, the Participants share the following common objectives:
   1. a) Support global decarbonization, the reduction and removal of greenhouse gas emissions, and the protection of the natural environment;
   2. b) Promote the development of climate and disaster resilience through addressing common challenges in climate change adaptation;
   3. c) Encourage the exchange of technical and scientific expertise, the development of climate-friendly commercial ties, and policy cross-pollination;
   4. d) Foster responsible innovation in emerging technologies and scientific advancement; and
   5. e) Engage in mutually beneficial economic and innovation activities through increased research and academic cooperation.

Section II: Areas of cooperation

1. The Participants intend to continue to address climate change, promote sustainable development, protect the natural environment, and promote responsible innovation while growing our economies in the 2 jurisdictions through initiatives focused particularly on, but not limited to, the following areas of cooperation:
   1. a) Clean energy technology and energy systems
      1. — Clean energy technologies, including offshore wind development and low-carbon hydrogen
      2. — Energy storage, including long duration technologies
      3. — Grid modernization, reliability, and efficiency
      4. — Decarbonization of buildings
      5. — Research, innovation, entrepreneurship, and academic cooperation, including on artificial intelligence, quantum technology, and fusion
   2. b) Financing clean energy and climate resilience
      1. — Accelerating climate investments, particularly to help scale early-stage clean energy technologies
      2. — Climate risk insurance for extreme weather events
   3. c) Carbon management and super pollutants
      1. — Emissions trading and carbon markets
      2. — Carbon capture utilization and storage
      3. — Greenhouse gas removals
      4. — Methane emissions reduction
   4. d) Transport decarbonization
      1. — Zero emissions vehicles
      2. — Low carbon fuels
      3. — Aviation and maritime decarbonization
   5. e) Environment, agriculture, and resilience
      1. — Biodiversity conservation
      2. — Water management
      3. — Circular economy
      4. — Climate-smart and precision agriculture
      5. — Agricultural technologies, including the bioeconomy

Section III: Coordination

The Participants respectively designate the United Kingdom’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the California Environmental Protection Agency to establish the creation of an action plan to implement the objectives of this Memorandum of Understanding.

Section IV: Specific activities

1. Specific activities to achieve the objectives of this Memorandum of Understanding for the key sectors and initiatives identified in Section II may include:
   1. a) Convene policy dialogues to share information and best practices in regulatory approaches, policy and program design and implementation, and capacity-building, and to develop expertise to help address climate change and foster sustainable growth and clean technology development and commercialization;
   2. b) Collaborate on joint projects and events such as symposia, seminars, workshops, exhibitions, industry learning visits, public-private partnerships, and trainings;
   3. c) Where appropriate and upon mutual understanding, engage third-party partners in academia and the research and education communities in discussions and information sharing under this Memorandum of Understanding, and where relevant, collaborate on research and pilot project development; and
   4. d) Any other mutually acceptable forms of cooperation that contribute to the objectives of this Memorandum of Understanding.

Section V: Points of contact

The United Kingdom’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the California Environmental Protection Agency will also serve as the respective contact points for communication and information exchange, as well as any notice submitted under this Memorandum of Understanding.

Section VI: No legal obligations, rights, or remedies

This Memorandum of Understanding is a voluntary initiative. It does not create any legally binding rights or obligations and creates no legally cognizable or enforceable rights or remedies, legal or equitable, in any forum whatsoever. In addition, the commitments in this Memorandum of Understanding are not conditioned upon reciprocal actions by the other Participant; each Participant retains full discretion over implementation of its commitments in light of the Participant’s individual circumstances, laws, and policies; and each Participant is free to terminate the Memorandum.

Section VII: Availability of personnel and resources

This Memorandum of Understanding does not involve the exchange of funds, nor does it represent any obligation of funds by either Participant. All costs that may arise from activities covered by, mentioned in, or pursuant to this Memorandum of Understanding will be assumed by the Participant that incurs them, unless otherwise expressly stated in a future written arrangement in accordance with applicable laws. All activities undertaken pursuant to this Memorandum of Understanding are subject to the availability of funds, personnel, and other resources of each Participant.

The personnel designated by a Participant for the execution of this Memorandum of Understanding will work under the orders and responsibility of that Participant and any other organization or institution to which the personnel already belongs, at all times maintaining any preexisting employment relationship only with that Participant and organization or institution, and not with any other Participant.

Section VIII: Compliance with applicable laws

This Memorandum of Understanding will be construed consistent with all applicable laws, and activities undertaken in connection with this Memorandum of Understanding will be subject to, and will be undertaken in a manner consistent with, all otherwise-applicable laws.

Section IX: Interpretation and application

Any difference that may arise in relation to the interpretation or application of this Memorandum of Understanding will be resolved through consultations between the Participants, which will endeavor in good faith to resolve such differences.

Section X: Final provisions

This Memorandum of Understanding is effective from the date of its signature, for a 5-year period, unless renewed or extended by the Participants in the same manner that the Participants may otherwise modify this Memorandum of Understanding.

This Memorandum of Understanding may be modified at any time by mutual consent of the Participants. Any modification will be made in writing and specify the date on which such modification is to become effective.

Either of the Participants may, at any time, terminate this Memorandum of Understanding by providing a written notice to the other Participant. A Participant that intends to terminate this Memorandum of Understanding will endeavor to provide notice of such termination to the other Participant 30 days in advance.

The termination of this Memorandum of Understanding will not affect when activities initiated while this Memorandum of Understanding is in effect will conclude, unless a Participant expressly states otherwise. A Participant that intends to terminate a previously initiated activity will endeavor to reach an understanding with the other Participant concerning such termination.

Signed in London, United Kingdom on 16 February, 2026, in 2 original copies in English.

For the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland:

Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP,
Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero

For the Government of the State of California of the United States of America:

Gavin Newsom,
Governor