The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has committed to significantly cutting greenhouse emissions from the capital by ensuring that new buildings operate at net zero carbon by 2030.

London, alongside 18 other cities across the world, has also signed up to the Net Zero Carbon Buildings Declaration, which pledged to ensure all buildings in the cities, old or new, will meet net-zero carbon standards by 2050.

Net-zero buildings use energy ultra-efficiently and meet any remaining energy needs from renewable sources. Buildings in urban areas are one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions, and typically account for over half of a total city’s emissions on average.

“My strategy to improve London’s environment includes some of the world’s most ambitious targets to reduce carbon emissions from our homes and workplaces,” said Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.

“This includes expanding my existing standard of zero carbon new homes to apply to all new buildings in 2019. We want to make London a zero carbon city by 2050 and we’re working hard to ensure its buildings are energy efficient and supplied with clean energy sources."