A third of top UK firms' CO2 emissions not in line with global climate goals

Analysis shows emissions from 31 FTSE 100 companies are well above what's needed to hit Paris targets

Three out of 10 of the UK's biggest public companies emit carbon dioxide at a rate that would contribute significantly to the climate crisis, according to analysis that shows the scale of the challenge for corporate Britain to cut emissions to zero.

Thirty-one members of the FTSE 100, the index of Britain's largest listed companies, are emitting carbon dioxide at a rate consistent with global temperature increases of 2.7C or more by 2050, according to analysis by Arabesque, a company that provides climate data to investors.