Rishi Sunak appears set to water down some of the UK government’s net zero pledges to ensure they are “proportionate”, in a move that has drawn sharp criticism from across the political spectrum and campaigners.

A state-run oil giant in the United Arab Emirates has said it has moved up its target for achieving net zero emissions in its operations to 2045, as the country prepares to host UN climate talks later this year.

BP is to cut the amount of oil and gas it produces by 40% by the end of the decade, the energy giant announced on Tuesday as it fleshed out plans to become a “net-zero” company by 2050.