Climate tops agenda at Australia, UK PMs' first meeting

Australia and the UK have agreed to deepen their co-operation in the fight against climate change as the nations' leaders met for the first time since Keir Starmer won a landslide British election in July.

Mr Starmer and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese discussed defence, climate investment and trade links on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa on Friday.

The pair agreed to negotiate a new climate and energy partnership, which will focus on developing and speeding up the rollout of renewable energy technologies, such as green hydrogen and offshore wind power.

As well as supporting the economic resilience and decarbonisation goals of both countries, the partnership would build upon their co-operation on international climate action, including on renewable energy and climate finance, they said in a joint statement.

Mr Albanese said the pair had a productive discussion.

"The work that we'll do on the clean energy transition, working with the private sector, seeing this as an opportunity as well for industrial transformation and making sure that people aren't left behind as we transition to net zero, is something that we can work very closely on," he said.

"We share a vision for a modern and transformed Australia-United Kingdom relationship, which delivers tangible benefits and prosperity to both our nations and the Indo-Pacific."

The leaders announced grant recipients under the two nations' Renewable Hydrogen Innovation Partnership Program, which will support six projects focused on industrial decarbonisation.

Mr Starmer noted the historical ties of the nations and welcomed their growing economic and military co-operation.

"But our values are aligned as well, particularly as you see when it comes to the challenges out there, the environmental challenge, the climate challenge, which is a challenge and an opportunity," he said.

The two prime ministers reiterated their support for Ukraine in their war against Russia, noting the co-operation of UK and Australian defence personnel in training Ukrainian troops.

Mr Starmer is the fourth UK prime minister Mr Albanese has met since his government won office in May 2022.

The UK Labour leader has continued to support the AUKUS defence pact between the UK, Australia and the US, which was signed by Mr Starmer and Mr Albanese's conservative predecessors Boris Johnson and Scott Morrison.