Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced British support for an international clean energy finance programme aiming to attract £5 billion in private investment, as he pledged renewed UK leadership on climate change at COP31 in Türkiye.
Speaking in Antalya on 12 November 2026, Burnham said the UK would support the Amplify programme, which aims to mobilise private finance for clean energy projects worldwide. He also announced Dame Madeline Alessandri as the UK’s first special representative for climate security.
What is the £5 billion initiative?
The Amplify programme aims to secure £5 billion of new private finance. This is an investment mobilisation target, not £5 billion of new British taxpayer spending, and it does not mean the money has already been raised or invested.
Burnham said London’s financial expertise could help use relatively modest public support to attract larger amounts of private capital. His speech did not specify a UK public funding commitment, a deadline for reaching the target or individual beneficiary projects.
Clean energy and national security
The Prime Minister argued that international conflicts and volatile fuel prices had exposed the risks of dependence on fossil fuels. He presented electrification of transport, heating and industry as a route to greater energy security, while acknowledging that upfront costs remain unaffordable for some households.
Burnham reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to net zero emissions by 2050 and linked clean energy development to jobs and industrial growth.
First UK special representative for climate security
Burnham announced Dame Madeline Alessandri as the first UK special representative for climate security, signalling the Government’s intention to treat climate risks as a national security issue. The speech did not set out the full responsibilities or reporting arrangements for the role.
Why international finance matters
Many developing economies face high borrowing costs and other barriers to financing clean power, electricity networks and related infrastructure. International programmes seek to reduce those barriers and make projects attractive to private investors.
The wider COP31 agenda includes an Electrify Now Finance Coalition and a separate Climate Investment Funds AMPLIFi programme. Their announcements should not be conflated with the Prime Minister’s £5 billion Amplify target.
Separate £12 billion UK offshore wind investment
The announcement followed Government confirmation of a separate £12 billion investment by RWE and KKR in the Vanguard East and Vanguard West offshore wind developments. The Government says those projects could supply the equivalent of around three million UK homes and support more than 2,400 jobs. Financing includes £1 billion from the National Wealth Fund.
The domestic offshore wind commitment is distinct from the international £5 billion private-finance target.
UK G20 presidency in 2027
Burnham said Britain would make climate resilience a priority during its 2027 G20 presidency, focusing on debt, development and insurance. He also reaffirmed UK support for protecting tropical forests and oceans.
What happens next?
The key questions are how much private investment the programme actually secures, what public support is required, which projects benefit and how their outcomes are measured. No timetable for reaching the £5 billion target was announced in the Prime Minister’s speech.
For now, the confirmed development is UK support for a global clean energy finance initiative with a £5 billion private-investment ambition, alongside a new climate security appointment and a reaffirmation of the 2050 net zero target.