Innovation to Implementation: Climate Leaders Unite at the ‘Superbowl’ of London Climate Action Week

Gathering more than 2,000 climate leaders from business, government, finance, and civil society, the Forum, organised by Climate Action, spotlighted the concrete steps being taken to accelerate the UK and global transition to a net zero, nature positive future ahead of COP30 in Brazil.

UK Government’s clean energy vision

Citing the event as the ‘Superbowl’ of London Climate Action Week, The Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero went on to deliver a clear vision for the UK as a clean energy superpower. 

Announcing the government’s publication of its consultation on transition plans for large companies and financial institutions, the Secretary of State emphasised the dual opportunity to create a new generation of well paid green jobs and secure long term industrial resilience.

London’s step toward renewable transport

Reaffirming the importance and ambition of local-level climate action, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan revealed that Transport for London—the city’s largest single consumer of electricity—has awarded a multi-million-pound contract to supply solar power for 15 years. The move marks significant progress toward the capital’s goal of running 100% of its public transport on renewable energy by 2030.

The Mayor also unveiled a new Climate Finance Taskforce to help unlock the capital investment required to meet London’s net zero targets. “We must be doers, not delayers,” he said, calling on all sectors to act with urgency and ambition. To further support London’s net zero targets, the Mayor also opened the fifth round of his £500m Green Finance Fund to help projects across the city deliver energy efficiency, clean transport, renewables or heat networks. 

Private sector commitment and financial risk awareness

Husain Al Meer, CEO of Masdar UK & Offshore Wind—headline partner of the Forum—reminded delegates that, “We must build the energy systems of the future, not the past” - reflecting a broader focus on innovation and implementation across sectors.

The vital role of the insurance industry in enabling the transition was also highlighted. Speakers including Laurence Tubiana, President and CEO, European Climate Foundation; Rowan Douglas, CEO of Climate Risk & Resilience, Howden and Linda Freiner, Chief Sustainability Officer, Zurich Insurance Group addressed the growing recognition that climate risk is financial risk. 

Citing Zurich Insurance’s energy resilience report, Freiner warned: “If it’s not insurable, it’s not investable.” Delayed action to mitigate climate related risk and make the clean energy transition resilient by design, she added, could place existing and future clean energy infrastructure at serious risk. 

Global Progress and International Collaboration

The Forum also welcomed global climate leaders including Marina Silva, Brazil’s Minister for Environment and Climate Change; H.E. Mukhtar Babayev, COP29 President; Rachel Kyte, UK Special Representative for Climate; and Piers Forster, Chair, Climate Change Committee who unveiled the Committee’s  2025 Net Zero Progress Report. 

The findings highlighted some encouraging developments, and reinforced that the UK should be proud of its place among a leading group of economies demonstrating consistent and sustained decarbonisation, but that more policy action is needed to keep the UK on track.

Road to COP30

The day concluded with the London Climate Action Week Gala Dinner co-hosted by Climate Action and the London Climate Action Week Secretariat, in partnership with Bloomberg. The energising event brought together international climate leaders in the historic Guildhall, with inspirational speeches from André Correa do Lago, COP30 President, Mary Robinson, Former President of Ireland and Patricia Espinosa, Former Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Making a surprise return for the gala dinner in the evening, Ed Miliband reminded the audience that “pessimism is a luxury we can’t afford” and “that the biggest force of progress is people“.

Ambassador André Corrêa do Lago, President of COP30, expressed his gratitude to the evening’s hosts for warmly welcoming the Brazilian delegation. He also thanked everyone for their continued support in the lead-up to COP30, which will be held in Belém in November.

ENDS 

Notes to Editors

For media enquiries please contact Harry Clarke. Email: hclarke@climateaction.org

The Climate Innovation Forum 2025

Organised by Climate Action, the Climate Innovation Forum focuses on translating promises into tangible actions midway between COPs, harnessing the power of London as a leading global climate hub. The high-level event champions the role of the real economy in delivering the transition, serving as a platform for sharing the brave leadership, innovative solutions and radical collaborations needed to bridge the gaps in complement, investment and scaling up of innovation. 

Climate Action

Climate Action has been working at the intersection of climate change policy, innovation and sustainable finance since 2007, delivering high impact forums to accelerate the transition to a global green economy. Based in London, but global in reach, its platforms include the Climate Action Innovation Zone at COP, and the Climate Innovation Forum in London.  

London Climate Action Week (LCAW)

London Climate Action Week (LCAW) was founded in 2019 by E3G in partnership with the Mayor of London. It is the largest city-wide climate festival in Europe and one of the world's largest independent climate change events.  

Its mission is to harness the unique power of London for global and local climate action. It mobilises London’s unparalleled ecosystem of climate and non-climate organisations to accelerate global climate action and supports action in London to ensure it acts as a global climate leader.   

London Climate Action Week showcases London as a leading example of how the whole of society can come together to shape and drive climate action.