Hurd hails start of Paris climate change deal

Ministers have welcomed the landmark Paris climate change agreement, which has come into force.

With the deal becoming operational on Friday, minister for climate change and industry Nick Hurd said: "It is fantastic news that the Paris Agreement has come into force much quicker than expected.

"The world has come together to act on the dangerous risk of climate change. Now we all have to do what we said we would do."

Negotiations in Paris which concluded last December saw 195 countries agree to limit the increase in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius if possible.

With the Paris Agreement now in force, representatives of nearly 200 countries will meet in Marrakech, Morocco, next week to consider further steps.