The UK works with a number of key global institutions to raise the profile of environmental issues - especially climate change and sustainable development.

The European Union (EU)

It works with the EU to achieve a number of global environmental aims. Find out more on the Foreign & Commonwealth Office website. The EU's core environment policies are also outlined in Environment 2010: Our Future, Our Choice.

The 6th European environment action programme focuses on:

• climate change and global warming
• the natural habitat and wildlife
• environment and health issues
• natural resources and managing waste.

United Nations

The UK is also a key member of the United Nations (UN) work on climate change.

Along with a number of other countries, it has signed up to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) - a treaty which encouraged countries to stabilise greenhouse gas emissions - in 1992.

In 1997, the UK also signed up to UNFCCC's successor, the Kyoto Protocol, which set specific targets to lower overall emissions of six greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide.

G8

The UK - along with Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States - is a member of the G8, which focuses on a range of global issues, including the environment.

In 2005 - the year of the UK's G8 Presidency - major agreements on climate change were reached at the annual summit.