Global Scans · UK · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Achieving Brexit will dominate the UK's agenda up to and beyond 2020 with uncertainty rife until clear decisions are made on the form of Great Britain's future relationship with the EU and the rest of the world.

• [New] Almost three quarters of the British electorate want to see the next government seize the opportunities of the green transition. Environmental Finance
• [New] Under the disrupt strand, a new Online Crime Centre will be launched in April, bringing together specialists from UK policing, the UK Intelligence Community, and private sector partners from financial, telecommunications, technology and cyber industries to drive co-ordinated action against fraud. Mishcon de Reya LLP
• [New] Interceptor drones, made in the UK for Ukraine to use against Russia, could be used against Iran's aerial Shahed drones. The Guardian
• [New] A 24-hour outage could cost the UK economy an estimated £1.4 billion. UKAuthority
• [New] The UK risked falling behind the EU, which is introducing laws requiring countries to monitor AMR in wastewater. The Guardian
• [New] Germany, France, and the United Kingdom are expected to have the fastest-growing virtual reality healthcare markets in Europe. Spherical Insights
• [New] As the UK construction sector seeks to translate policy intent into delivery, success will hinge on embedding sustainable building practices and defensible whole life carbon strategies into every stage of design and procurement. Whole Life Carbon
• [New] Interest-rate bets that fully anticipated easing in the US have eroded, while possible hikes in the UK and euro zone later in the year are now being priced in. financialpost
• [New] The decarbonization of the UK economy is, however, affordable and average house bills are expected to reduce by 20% compared to 2021 levels. DNV
• [New] In terms of data centers, electricity demand will rise from 8 TWh today to 70 TWh by 2060. / UK DNV
• [New] The UK will not achieve net zero by 2050 and will still emit 130 MtCO2e (million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent) per year, an 84% reduction from 1990. DNV
• [New] Buildings and transport demand remain the biggest blockers, with two thirds of UK homes predicted to still be using gas boilers, and more than half the cars on the roads remaining fossil fuelled in 2035. DNV
• [New] DNV issued its annual Energy Transition Outlook for the UK, finding that the UK's energy transition risks being delayed by a lack of whole system thinking. DNV
• [New] The UK Government has announced a major step forward in strengthening the resilience of public services against cyber attacks, revealing that it has reduced the time taken to fix critical vulnerabilities by 84%. REG Technologies
• [New] A protracted Middle East conflict could push Britain's economy into recession. The Guardian
• [New] The current oil price shock will most likely not just lead to inflation, but also push the UK economy into recession, raising unemployment and reducing GDP. The Guardian
• [New] Coupled with developments in the US economy, such as upcoming releases on the US PCE Price Index and GDP annual rate, the disparity between the UK and US economic outlooks could lead to further depreciation of the GBP against the USD. AIMS
• [New] Lab-grown foie gras and chicken are being tested by scientists to ensure they are safe for humans to eat, and could hit British restaurants and dinner tables in the next five years. SKY
• [New] Two new cultivated meat products could reach UK restaurants and homes in five years if scientific tests are successful. SKY
• [New] The United Kingdom government plans to delay changes to copyright rules affecting artificial intelligence after proposals allowing AI companies easier access to copyrighted content faced opposition from creative industries. The AI Policy Newsletter
• [New] The United Kingdom government launched an open call for evidence seeking input from artificial intelligence and energy experts on datasets that could support AI applications in the energy sector. The AI Policy Newsletter
• [New] Emerging markets such as India and China are expected to drive substantial aircraft demand growth over the next decade, while established markets including the U.S., United Kingdom, and Germany will continue to support stable growth. Export Development Canada

Last updated: 17 March 2026