Paris Agreement: UK has signed the treaty on tackling climate change

The UK has ratified the Paris Agreement, the world's first comprehensive treaty on tackling climate change.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson signed the Agreement, which commits countries to limiting global temperature rises to "well below" 2C over pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to keep increases to 1.5C.

More than 100 countries have already ratified the deal, which came into force earlier this month, and the move by the UK was welcomed by campaigners amid concerns the election of Donald Trump as US president could put international climate action at risk.

President-elect Mr Trump has previously claimed global warming was a hoax made up by the Chinese to make US manufacturing uncompetitive, and has promised to boost polluting coal and pull out of the Paris Agreement.

Barry Gardiner, shadow minister for international climate change said: "The UK Government must now show their commitment through climate action on the ground.

"We face a 47% shortfall to meet our 2030 climate target. Pursuing fracking and a six-fold tax hike on solar business rates only take us in the wrong direction," he added.

Friends of the Earth international climate campaigner Asad Rehman said: "This excellent news sends yet another signal to Mr Trump that world nations will act together on climate, and that he should reaffirm the USA's commitment on this issue too."

He added: "Signing the treaty must now be followed by strong, urgent action.

"The Paris Agreement is signed and sealed - but where is the UK government plan to help deliver it?"