Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : Displaced Ukrainians in line for thousands of tickets for Eurovision Song Contest [February 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 25 February 2023.

Thousands of tickets will be made available for displaced Ukrainians to attend the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool in May.
Around 3,000 tickets will be made available for displaced Ukrainians living in the UK

Government also announces £10 million of support to help host Eurovision on behalf of Ukraine and showcase its culture and creativity

Announcements mark a year since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine

Thousands of tickets will be made available for displaced Ukrainians to attend the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool in May.

The Government has agreed that around 3,000 tickets will be made available for those Ukrainians who have been forced from their homes and are living in the UK – meaning they can attend one of the live shows and help mark the Ukrainian group Kalush Orchestra’s victory at last year’s Eurovision Song Contest.

While Ukraine won the competition in 2022 it is unable to host because of Russia’s illegal invasion. The UK, who finished second in last year’s Eurovision Song Contest with the track ‘Space Man’ from Sam Ryder, agreed to host and create an event which honoured Ukraine’s culture and people.

This ticket allocation will see thousands of Ukrainians attending the live shows and is another example of the UK’s steadfast support for Ukraine.

The news comes as the Government announces £10 million in funding to help ensure the event truly showcases Ukrainian culture. The money will support Liverpool City Council and the BBC’s partnerships with Ukrainian artists and performers to ensure a collaborative show celebrating music and how it unites people from around the world.

It will also support security, visa arrangements and other operational aspects of the contest, as well as Liverpool City Council’s schools, community and volunteering programmes.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said:

“ Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine means the contest cannot be held where it should be. But we are honoured to be supporting the BBC and Liverpool in hosting it on their behalf, and are determined to make sure the Ukrainian people are at the heart of this event.

“ Today’s announcement means that thousands of tickets will be offered to those displaced by war, so that they can take part in a show honouring their homeland, their culture and their music. As always, we stand together with the Ukrainian people and their fight for freedom.”

Ukrainian Ambassador to the UK Vadym Prystaiko said:

“ The allocation of almost 3,000 tickets to displaced Ukrainians for the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool will allow our compatriots here to enjoy the event and celebrate our country’s rich culture and music.

“ The UK’s steadfast support for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s invasion has been exemplary and this gesture is another example of that commitment. The £10 million in funding to showcase Ukrainian culture is also greatly appreciated and will help to put on a collaborative show bringing people from around the world closer to each other.

“ We are grateful to the UK Government, Liverpool City Council, and the BBC for their efforts to honour Ukraine’s culture and people through this event.”

Mayor of Liverpool Joanne Anderson said:

“ Ukraine is at the heart of all our Eurovision host city plans.

“ Working with our Ukrainian community we are shaping a thought-provoking and powerful programme that is all-encompassing and representative of modern Ukraine – inspiring, poignant, funny, beautiful and moving.

“ We’re delighted with the news that displaced Ukrainians are being given the opportunity to come to the city in May – this is their Eurovision after all. Our team has been working tirelessly behind the scenes and we can’t wait to give them a warm Liverpool welcome and, fingers crossed, do them, the rest of the Ukraine and the UK proud.”

Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia a year ago, millions of Ukrainians have been forced from their homes, with many finding refuge in the UK.

Those who are based in the UK via the Homes for Ukraine Scheme, the Ukraine Family Scheme and the Ukraine Extension Scheme will be able to apply for tickets. Tickets will be offered for all nine live shows, including the semi-finals, the preview shows and the live final on Saturday 13 May.

The announcement comes after President Zelenskyy visited the UK during which the Prime Minister underlined the country’s commitment to support Ukraine and help secure lasting peace.
February 27, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Four Board Members appointed to Sport England [February 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 24 February 2023.

The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has appointed Mel Bound, Michelle Cracknell, Jason Fergus and Helene Raynsford as Board Members of Sport England for terms of three years.

Mel Bound

Appointed from 01 January 2023 until 31st December 2025. Mel Bound is the founding CEO of This Mum Runs, the largest digital, mobile and in person running community for women in the world. A digital thought leader and globally recognised community builder, Mel leads an ambitious team with a vision to empower all women to enjoy the life changing benefits of being active; tackling stubborn exercise inequalities through an innovative community playbook and pressure free ethos based on movement, not performance.

A graduate in Sport and Exercise Sciences, much of Mel’s career has involved creating experiences that positively impact how people engage with sport and physical activity – starting out on a fast track programme for a global health and fitness group before moving into sports marketing, designing in-stadia experiences for international track and field events; latterly as Strategy Director for a global experiential agency, winning hearts and minds for brands in sport, tech and FMCG before founding This Mum Runs in 2014. Mel is a Fellow of the Facebook Community Leadership Programme, recognised as one of the Top 16 Most Impactful Community Leaders in the world, listed in the Sunday Times Maserati 100 British Disrupter Brands and a recipient of the Women’s Sport Trust “Grassroots Game Changer” Award.

Michelle Cracknell

Appointed from 01 January 2023 until 31st December 2025. Michelle was Chief Executive Officer and Accounting Officer of The Pensions Advisory Service between October 2013 and December 2018. Prior to that, she held Director roles in advice firms, providers and insurance companies. She is a qualified actuary. Michelle holds non-executive positions at Fidelity International Holdings, Just Group Plc, Lloyds Banking Group Pension Trustees Ltd and PensionBee Group Plc. She is passionate about helping people make more of their money and sees lots of parallels between motivating people to budget and take physical activity.

Jason Fergus

Appointed from 01 January 2023 until 31st December 2025. Jason Fergus has over 20 years’ experience in the sport and physical activity. Jason is currently Director of Active Essex, one of the largest Active Partnerships in England. Jason also heads up the delivery of the Essex Local Delivery Pilot, one of 12 LDPs that form part of a ground-breaking £100m programme funded by Sport England from 2017-25 to tackle population levels of physical inactivity in deprived areas.

Jason is a high-level strategic thinker, operator and is competent at building trusted relationships with a wide range of agencies. Jason has a strong track record in Essex of adopting a whole system and place-based approach to drive up physical activity levels at scale. Jason consistently demonstrates exemplary behaviour and ethics, and ensures Active Essex operates to the highest standards of governance. Jason co-founded the successful charity ‘Active Essex Foundation’ and is a serving trustee. Jason represented GB Athletics at national and international level as a sprinter.

Helene Raynsford

Appointed from 01 January 2023 until 31st December 2025. Having worked in public health for over 14 years at local, regional and national level, Helene is very interested in the role of physical activity in the prevention health agenda, care pathways and how sport and health can work closer together with benefits for both. Helene grew up in a vocational schooling through both Elmhurst and Royal Ballet School, thus see’s physical activity in its widest sense and has worked on many local initiatives to increase physical activity in general and targeted populations. Helene has been involved in national and international policy / guidance writing on both sport and health agendas, including both a ‘public health’ and ‘expert’ member of NICE Committee’s and member of the International Advisory Board of the World Academy of Sport.

Helene is a retired Paralympian having become the first World Champion and Paralympic Rowing Gold Medallist in Paralympic Women’s Single Sculls. She is in her second term as Chair the Athletes’ Commission for the British Paralympic Association and an active member of the Athlete voice Internationally within the Paralympic movement. Helene has a portfolio career and is an experienced Non-Exec Director having worked with organisations covering international and domestic sport. She firmly believes in the huge benefit of sport and physical activity at a grass roots level to the wider health outcomes of both individuals and communities.

Remuneration and Governance Code

Remuneration for these roles is set at £218 per day. This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. Mel Bound, Michelle Cracknell, Jason Fergus and Helene Raynsford have not declared any significant political activity.

February 26, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : The UK stands ready to facilitate discussions and dialogue between Israelis and the Palestinians – UK Statement at the UN Security Council [February 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 February 2023.

Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the Security Council briefing on the Middle East.

Thank you, President. I join others in thanking Special Coordinator Wennesland and Deputy Commissioner-General Stenseth not only for your briefings, but also for the work of your teams on the ground.

I would like to thank members of this Council for our work to come to a consensus on a Presidential statement. This statement sets out the international community’s continued commitment to a two-state solution based on 1967 lines, and urges an end to Israeli settlement activities, and the prevention of terrorism. All parties must desist from unilateral measures that further undermine peace, stability and the two-state solution.

President, violence and instability in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories has led to further loss of life. Ten Israelis have been killed in two abhorrent terror attacks in 2023. The UK condemns all forms of terror, for which there is no justification. Since the start of the year, 44 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli security forces. This includes 11 children. Israel must exercise maximum restraint in the use of live fire, and the Palestinian Authority must urgently resume full security cooperation, and renounce and confront terror. We also condemn the indiscriminate rocket fire from Gaza on 11 and 12 February towards civilian populations. This escalating cycle of violence must be brought to an end as swiftly as possible, particularly ahead of upcoming religious festivals.

Second, the UK condemns Israel’s announcement to legalise ten outposts and advance up to 10,000 units in settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. As set out by the British Foreign Secretary and our partners in the quint statement, the UK strongly opposes these unilateral actions which exacerbate tensions between Israelis and Palestinians. Settlements and outposts are not only contrary to international law, but they also undermine the prospects for peace. The UK calls on Israel to reverse these decisions. I also condemn increasing settler violence, including the killing of Mithqal Rayyan on 11 February. Perpetrators of violence must face justice.

Thirdly, the UK urges Israel to avoid measures that could amount to collective punishment against Palestinians, particularly punitive demolitions. These cause unnecessary suffering and contribute to the cycle of violence; four Palestinians have been killed during punitive demolition operations so far this year.

In conclusion, President, restoring stability and securing peace is still possible but will require effort from all sides. The UK stands ready to facilitate discussions and dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians, and remains firm in its belief that a negotiated two state solution, based on 1967 lines with Jerusalem as a shared capital, is the only way to ensure a lasting peace, security and prosperity between the parties.

Thank you.

February 20, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Foreign Secretary summons Iranian diplomat over continued threat to UK-based journalists [February 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 February 2023.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly instructed FCDO officials to summon Iran’s most senior diplomat, due to serious threats against journalists living in the UK.
- Iranian Chargé d’Affaires told threats to media freedom will not be tolerated following intimidation of Iran International in the UK
- separately, new UK sanctions imposed on Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) members, including the commander of province in which security forces have severely injured and killed children
- three senior judges also sanctioned for imposing death penalties on protestors in Iran
The Foreign Secretary today instructed Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) officials to summon Iran’s most senior diplomat, due to serious threats against journalists living in the UK.

It follows the decision at the weekend by Iran International, a London-based TV network, to suspend UK operations as a result of continued threats to its staff by the Iranian regime.

Vijay Rangarajan, Director General for the Middle East, held the meeting with Iranian Chargé d’Affaires Mehdi Hosseini Matin to make clear the UK will not tolerate threats to life and media freedom.

As part of wider efforts to hold the regime to account over its behaviour globally, the UK and international partners have also today imposed further sanctions on 8 senior Iranian figures responsible for repressing their own people.

They include 3 judges who imposed the death penalty against protestors and 5 IRGC commanders.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

The UK will always stand up to countries who threaten our fundamental values of freedom of expression and the media.

I am appalled by the Iranian regime’s continuing threats to the lives of UK-based journalists and have today summoned its representative to make clear this will not be tolerated.

As part of wider efforts to hold Iran to account, the UK has today also sanctioned a further 8 individuals responsible for horrific human rights violations in Iran, including the killing of children. We will never allow the regime’s threats to go unchallenged.

The individuals sanctioned today include:
- Mohammad Taghi Osanloo: an IRGC Ground Forces Commander in West Azerbaijan and Kurdistan where children are among those who have been killed during the protests. Video footage showed that a 10-year-old was severely injured after being shot by IRGC forces on 26 September
- Mohammad Karami: when referring to peaceful protestors, Karami pledged to  “wreak vengeance on the terrorist groups” while he was an IRGC Ground Forces Commander in Sistan and Baluchestan province where over 80 protestors and bystanders were killed in September 2022
- Musa Asif Al-Hosseini: issued death penalties to Mohammed Karami and Mohammed Hosseini, who were executed in January 2023 despite trials which reportedly relied on forced confessions
- Morteza Barati: as part of the ‘Isfahan House case’ in January 2023, he is reported to have sentenced Saleh Mirhashmi, Majid Kazemi and Saeed Yaqoubi Kurdsafli to death. It was reported that Barati did not allow the presence of appointed counsel during the trial and that Kazemi was subjected to torture
Since Mahsa Amini’s death in September 2022, the UK has imposed sanctions on more than 50 Iranian individuals and entities in response to human rights violations by the regime.

These sanctions constitute an asset freeze and UK travel ban on the individuals concerned and send a wider signal on the UK’s commitment to backing condemnation with action.
February 20, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : North Korea missile tests – FCDO response [February 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 February 2023.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson comments on the recent missile tests carried out by North Korea on 20 February 2023.

North Korea’s ballistic missile launches on 20 February are a breach of multiple UN Security Council resolutions.

North Korea’s repeated testing of ballistic missile technology poses a threat to our regional partners and global security.

The UK continues to work closely with partners to urge North Korea to return to dialogue and take credible steps towards denuclearisation.

February 20, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : New Government Chief Scientific Adviser Appointed [February 2023]

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 20 February 2023.

Professor Dame Angela McLean has been appointed as the new Government Chief Scientific Adviser.

The Cabinet Secretary is pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Dame Angela McLean DBE FRS as the new Government Chief Scientific Adviser (GCSA). Dame Angela, who is currently Chief Scientific Adviser for the Ministry of Defence, was selected by the Prime Minister following an open competition. Dame Angela will be the first woman to hold the role of GCSA and will take up the post on 1 April.

The role of the GCSA is to provide independent scientific advice to the Prime Minister and members of cabinet, advise the government on aspects of policy on science and technology and ensure and improve the quality and use of scientific evidence and advice in government.

The GCSA is also Head of the Government Science and Engineering Profession and is part of the executive team of the newly formed Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

The Prime Minister Rishi Sunak welcomed the appointment and said:

Delivering improved public services, creating new jobs and growing our economy through cutting-edge industries can only be made possible by advances in science, technology and innovation.

I’m delighted that Dame Angela is taking on this role to advise the government on how we make this happen – building on Sir Patrick’s instrumental work over the past five years, which included helping the country through some of our greatest challenges from the pandemic to climate change.

Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Michelle Donelan said:

The UK is starting a hugely exciting new chapter in our future in scientific innovation and I congratulate Dame Angela McLean on her appointment as the new Government Chief Scientific Adviser.

Dame Angela is well respected across the science community and I hope this appointment will inspire more women and young girls to see STEM subjects as an exciting career choice.

I look forward to working with her to build on the immense work of Sir Patrick Vallance to ensure that the UK remains at the forefront of the science and technology revolution.

The Cabinet Secretary, Simon Case said:

This is an excellent appointment for the Civil Service, to a vital position for the government and the country. I congratulate Angela on her role and look forward to the contribution she will make in leading the science community across government.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Patrick for his outstanding contribution and commitment to public service, evident not only in the leading role he played during the Covid-19 Pandemic but also in the great strides he has made in improving scientific capability across government.

Commenting on her new role, Dame Angela said:

I am delighted to take on this role at such an important time in our country for Science Innovation and Technology. All of us in government are going to greatly miss Sir Patrick, and I look forward to working with colleagues to build on the work he has led during his time as GCSA.

My long-term mentor, the late Lord Robert May, held the post of GCSA between 1995 and 2000 and that personal connection adds a particular depth to my sense of honour in being asked to take on this role.

Biography – Professor Dame Angela McLean DBE FRS

Professor Dame Angela McLean DBE FRS has been the Chief Scientific Adviser for the Ministry of Defence since September 2019.

She is a Professor of Mathematical Biology in the Department of Zoology at Oxford University, and a Fellow of All Souls College. Her research interests lie in the use of mathematical models to aid our understanding of the evolution and spread of infectious agents.

She is also interested in the use of natural science evidence in formulating public policy and has co-developed the Oxford Martin School Restatements: an activity which restructures and presents the evidence underlying an issue of policy concern or controversy in a short, uncharged, intelligible form for non-technical audiences.

During the Covid-19 pandemic she regularly attended SAGE and co-chaired SPI-M-O, the sub-group of SAGE that prepared advice for government using epidemiology, data analysis and mathematical modelling. In those roles she played a substantial part in generating scientific advice for government on the management of the pandemic.

She established Mathematical Biology at the Biotechnology and Biological Science Research Council’s Institute for Animal Health in 1994. Before this, Angela was a Royal Society Research Fellow at Oxford University and a Research Fellow at the Institut Pasteur in Paris.

As the Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) to MOD, Dame Angela is its principal adviser on science and technology, with responsibility for directing research through the MOD’s core S&T research portfolio.

In 2009 Angela was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society. She has been awarded the Gabor Medal in 2011 and the Weldon Memorial Prize in 2018. She received her damehood in the 2018 Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

February 20, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Secretary of State makes appointments to the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland [February 2023]
The press release issued by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on 20 February 2023.

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Right Honourable Chris Heaton-Harris MP, has appointed six Commissioners to the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.

Neil Anderson, Lisa Caldwell, Duane Farrell, Jarlath Kearney, Carmel McKinney and Stephen Matthews will take up their appointments with effect from 1 March 2023.

Background

The Equality Commission was established in 1999, as part of the implementation of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement. It took over the functions of the Fair Employment Commission, Equal Opportunities Commission, and Council for Racial Equality and Northern Ireland Disability Council.

The Commission’s powers and duties derive from a number of statutes which have been enacted over the last decades, providing protection against discrimination on the grounds of age, disability, race, religion and political opinion, sex and sexual orientation. It also has responsibilities arising from the Northern Ireland Act 1998 in respect of the statutory equality and good relations duties which apply to public authorities.

In addition, the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020 gave new powers to the Commission, effective from 1 January 2021, to monitor, advise and report on, and enforce the Government’s commitment to no diminution of certain rights, as set out in Article 2 of the Protocol.

The Commission is funded and sponsored by The Executive Office. Further information about the work of the Commission can be found at: https://www.equalityni.org/Home

Terms of appointment
- These positions are part-time for a period of three years ending on 28 February 2026.
- The positions receive a fixed annual remuneration of £5,000.
- The positions are not pensionable.
Biography of Appointees

Neil Anderson was formerly the Head of NSPCC in Northern Ireland. Neil has a career history of general management and HR across a variety of organisations and sectors. He is currently the Deputy Chief Commissioner (DCC) at the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.

Lisa is Director of External Affairs at Belfast City Council. Previously, she was Head of Communications and Engagement at the Social Security Agency, Northern Ireland. She is a Fulbright Scholar and Fellow at the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR). Lisa previously acted as Secretary for Women’s Aid Federation Northern Ireland and Treasurer of CIPR Northern Ireland Committee and currently sits as member for Northern Ireland on the board of the FundRaising Regulatory.

Duane Farrell has been working in the Community and Voluntary sector in Northern Ireland for over 20 years. During that time, he has worked within the LGBT community, as well as with older people and children and young people. In these roles, he has developed services, led campaigns and worked to influence legislation and policy. Currently he is the Chief Executive of Relate NI.

Jarlath Kearney is a strategy advisor in the public sector. Currently a regular columnist with The Irish News, he has previously served as a Board Member of the Arts Council NI, Special Advisor to the Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure, Ministerial Policy Advisor in the NI Assembly and a National Expert for the European Commission’s TAIEX Programme in relation to public institutional transformation and legislative reform in the Balkans.

Carmel McKinney has held a number of senior roles in education, including Chair of the Belfast Education and Library Board. She is currently Chair of the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service Board and an independent member of the Policing Board.

Stephen Matthews is a former Chief Executive of The Cedar Foundation. Stephen previously served as an Equality Commissioner and was a member of the Audit Committee and rotating chair of the Legal Funding Committee. He also represented the Commission on the Independent Mechanism monitoring UNCRPD Implementation and is an NI Advisor for the Henry Smith Charity.

Political Activity

All appointments are made on merit and with regards to the statutory requirements. Political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity in defined categories to be made public. All of the appointees have declared that they have not been politically active in the last five years.

Regulation

The Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointment (OCPA) regulates appointments to the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.

Statutory Requirements

The Secretary of State makes appointments to the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland in accordance with the Northern Ireland Act 1998.
February 20, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Drug dealer, O’Neil Pendley, has sentence more than doubled [February 2023]

The press release issued by the Attorney General’s Office on 20 February 2023.

A drug dealer who supplied heroin and cocaine has had his sentence more than doubled following a hearing at the Court of Appeal on 17 February 2023 under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme and will now serve 6 years and 3 months in prison.

O’Neil Pendley, 30, pleaded guilty to two counts of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.

Pendley dealt heroin and cocaine on the streets in the Worcester area and has previous relevant convictions for drug offences.

Pendley was originally sentenced to 2 years and 9 months’ imprisonment at Worcester Crown Court on 09 December 2022.

The Solicitor General Michael Tomlinson KC MP then referred Pendley’s sentence to the Court of Appeal because he believed it was unduly lenient.

Speaking after the hearing at the Court of Appeal today, the Solicitor General said:

The class A drugs that Pendley supplied are dangerous and ruin lives.

I welcome the Court’s decision to order Pendley to serve a longer prison term, and hope the new sentence sends a clear message that the money made from dealing drugs will never be worth the punishment.

February 20, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Readout of Vice President Harris’s Meeting with Prime Minister Sunak of the United Kingdom [February 2023]

The press release issued by the White House on 18 February 2023.

Vice President Kamala Harris met with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of the United Kingdom in Munich, Germany on February 18. The Vice President and Prime Minister Sunak reaffirmed the enduring strength and depth of U.S.-UK relations. The Vice President and the Prime Minister discussed Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, and our continued support for the people of Ukraine. They discussed the path forward in our united response to ensure Ukraine has what it needs on the battlefield and to impose costs on Russia. The leaders also affirmed their shared commitment to protecting and building on the gains of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement as its 25th anniversary approaches. The leaders also discussed a range of other regional and global issues, including China and the climate crisis.

February 20, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : New climate change hub launched for forestry sector [February 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 20 February 2023.

The Climate Change Hub was launched by Defra, Forest Research, Scottish Forestry and Welsh Government today.
Trees and improved woodland management are key in both adapting to climate change and reaching UK Government goal of Net Zero by 2050.

New online Climate Change Hub centralises information on forestry and climate change adaptation.

The Hub features UK Forestry Standard guidance and includes fact sheets, videos and case studies to ensure our woodlands are fit for the future

The Climate Change Hub – which centralises the latest resources, information and guidance on climate change adaptation to support landowners, woodland managers and forestry practitioners in addressing climate change threats – was launched by Defra, Forest Research, Scottish Forestry and Welsh Government today (Monday 20 February).

The projected rate of climate change is unprecedented, from warmer summers to more frequent extreme conditions such as drought periods and heavy rainfall events. Action is needed now to improve the resilience of forests and woodlands, and to protect the benefits that they provide, including carbon sequestration.

The Climate Change Hub, managed by Forest Research, centralises and distils the latest information and UKFS (United Kingdom Forestry Standard) guidance on climate change adaptation to encourage uptake of adaptive practice by forest and woodland owners and managers. It provides concise information about risks from the changing climate, how to identify suitable adaptation measures and examples of how other managers are implementing adaptive practice.

There is no single recommended approach to climate change adaptation, as each woodland has different objectives and conditions. To enable managers to make informed decisions for their own woodlands, the Climate Change Hub also includes detailed guidance through the decision-making process, step-by-step, including information about the online tools available to support risk management and species choice.

Forestry Minister Trudy Harrison said:

“Trees and tree management are crucial parts of our plan to reach Net Zero by 2050, and resources such as the Climate Change Hub support the forest industry to make better, more informed and ultimately more sustainable decisions when it comes to tree planting and woodland management.”

Forestry Commission Chief Executive Richard Stanford said:

“Climate change will affect our trees, wood and forests. We need to ensure that our management practices ensure they thrive for the long term to ensure all the benefits they provide are maximised. Trees are a critical part of our endeavours to tackle climate change; trees are the most efficient and cost-effective method of capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The Climate Change Hub will allow all of us to see this critical information in one place for the first time, enabling land managers and foresters to make the best decisions for our planet on tree and forest management.”

Scottish Forestry’s Chief Executive Dave Signorini said:

“I’m excited to launch the new Climate Change Hub – a one-stop shop for resources on protecting woodland and forests from the risks of climate change. Trees have a significant role in climate change adaptation and resilience, providing habitats for wildlife, reducing flooding, and absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and we want to help people understand how best to achieve that.

“The new Climate Change Hub will help empower the forestry sector here in Scotland to sustainably manage woodland and forests to deliver benefits for our environment, economy and communities.”

Wales’ Minister for Climate Change, Julie James, said:

“This project will provide up-to-date research and guidance that will help the forestry sector and woodland planners plant and manage woodland in a flexible way.

“It’s another key project that will help us in Wales meet our Net Zero commitments and I look forward to seeing how it progresses.”

Woodland owners are encouraged to plant and manage more diverse and resilient woodlands of varying ages and species in the face of climate change. To counter future extreme weather risks from severe storms to drought, forests and woodlands should have a broad range of trees at different ages, from seedlings to trees to vary the size of our trees. Larger, more mature trees are more susceptible to severe winds than younger trees, so promoting the growth of trees of varying ages helps to strengthen their collective resilience.

The Climate Change Hub supports the government’s wider Net Zero strategy and follows commitments set out within the recently published Environmental Improvement Plan to improve our mitigation and adaptation to climate change.

The Climate Change Hub can be found online here.

The Climate Change Hub is endorsed by the Forestry and Climate Change Partnership (https://forestryclimatechange.uk/), a cross-sector body that seeks to represent a collective view of the forestry and woodland sector on climate adaptation of trees, woods and forests in England. It promotes measures which enhance the adaptation of trees, woods and forests to climate change and associated impacts. Members include the ICF, the Woodland Trust and Natural England.
February 20, 2023