PM says there will be 'new era of British leadership' on tackling climate change

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said there will be a "new era of British leadership" on tackling climate change at the COP31 summit in Turkey.

The climate meeting takes place every year and is attended by some world leaders and environmental campaigners.

Mr Burnham said that the UK remained committed to reaching its target of net zero emissions by 2050 and would work with other countries to help them reach their own targets.

He also spoke about the extreme weather experienced in the UK this summer, describing it as "not normal".

Andy Burnham began his speech by saying this year's summer in the UK was "not normal".

The prime minister added that he spent his first three weeks in his role responding to the "worst wildfires Britain has ever experienced".

Mr Burnham went on to explain that the climate crisis was not a "distant threat".

He pledged a "new era of British leadership" in tackling climate change as part of his first COP speech as PM.

Mr Burnham also announced support for a programme to help fund clean energy projects.

He finished by saying the UK would make protecting people from the effects of climate change a priority when it takes over the G20 presidency next year, adding: "Britain is back and ready to play its full part."

But some environmental campaigners at the summit said the PM had to back up his words with stronger actions.

COP stands for the Conference of the Parties and is attended by countries that signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

That was an agreement made in 1992 when countries came together and agreed that they would avoid any behaviours that could lead to "dangerous climate change".

Every year since then, world governments have been coming together to make plans on how to tackle the growing climate change crisis.

The number shows how many there have been up until now.

So, with the first COP being held in 1995, this year's COP is the 31st climate conference to take place - hence the name COP31.