PM launches UN climate summit - BBC News
The summit, known as COP26, will take place in November and aims to assess progress in tackling climate change.
The UK aviation industry is promising to reduce its net carbon emissions to zero by 2050. Image caption: The UK aviation industry is promising to reduce its net carbon emissions to zero by 2050.

The government has pledged to reduce the UK's carbon emissions to "net zero" by 2050.

This means emissions from areas like transport, farming and industry will have to be avoided completely or offset by sucking CO2 out of the atmosphere, for example by planting trees.

Boris Johnson has inherited the pledge from former prime minister Theresa May, who put the commitment into law in June last year.

The target was the subject of debate at December's election, with several opposition parties calling for the date to be brought forward.

The Lib Dems said the date should be brought forward to 2045, whilst Labour said the UK should be put "on track" to achieve net zero "within the 2030s".

The Green Party went even further, calling for net zero to be achieved by 2030.