Today at COP31, CETEx has announced its role as Knowledge Partner to the UK Sector Transition Plans Working Group, overseen by the Net Zero Council.
CETEx held a roundtable titled ‘Delivering robust Net Zero financing plans for key sectors of the economy’ on Tuesday 10 November 2026 at COP 31. The roundtable was led by the Rt Hon Chris Skidmore OBE (the Chair of CETEx), Rob Patalano (Executive Director of CETEx) and Ben Fagan-Watson (Head of Sector Financing Plans). This roundtable took place close to the COP 31 Blue Zone with representatives of advanced and developing economies, and sought views on how countries have successfully harnessed financial flows to enable the transition of key sectors of the economy – and what the UK can do to build on these approaches.
CETEx’s Transition Finance team will lead the development of UK finance plans for existing and emerging sector transition plans, working in collaboration with expert bodies within those sectors. These finance plans will quantify the investment needed to transform each sector and identify the solutions, finance mechanisms and capital providers required to deliver it; translating high-level ambition into an actionable financing strategy.
The Sector Transition Plan Working Group which oversees this work is a joint initiative between the UK government, industry, finance and broader civil society stakeholders to develop sector transition plans and finance plans for key sectors of the UK economy. This work will then be reported to the Net Zero Council convened by DESNZ Secretary of State the Rt Hon Miatta Fahnbulleh, which provides the high-level forum for government to support the delivery of the UK’s transition to net zero.
Sector Transition Plans (STPs) provide a tool for collaboration between business, finance, civil society and government on delivering the UK’s transition to net zero and capturing the opportunities it presents. An STP sets out a shared vision and pathway for a sector’s decarbonisation, aligned with growth objectives and economic and societal opportunities.
As well as being Chair of CETEx, Chris Skidmore is Co-chair of the Sector Transition Plan Working Group for the Net Zero Council, which will help ensure that the development of these sector finance plans aligns with the broader work of the Council. The project team will also benefit from an expert advisory group drawn from within and outside LSE.
Rob Patalano, Executive Director of CETEx, said “CETEx has provided the resourcing for the expert team who will deliver sector financing plans because we recognise the impact that this work will have. Rigorously produced, robust financing plans for key sectors will help to mobilise finance, build the green economy and deliver on the UK’s climate goals. The team has already made excellent progress, and I look forward to seeing the work they will continue to produce in partnership with government, the finance sector, businesses and wider civil society.”
The Rt Hon Chris Skidmore OBE, Chair of CETEx, said “Transition plans are being developed at pace, by businesses, sectors, and governments. Yet without a credible financial component, these plans risk falling short. This project will ensure that finance is not an afterthought, but a core element of sector transition plans, technology scale-up roadmaps, and policy design.”
For more information about CETEx’s work on this initiative go here