Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what targets they have for the planting of trees to support reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050; and what assessment they have made of their progress against any such targets.

Net Zero challenges all sectors to decarbonise and reduce emissions as fast as they can. Our woodlands and forests are an important carbon sink – currently capturing 4% of the UK’s annual greenhouse gas emissions. To increase their potential to capture carbon, we must increase planting rates immediately.

The Government has committed to increasing planting rates across the UK to 30,000 hectares per year by 2025, in line with the Committee on Climate Change’s recommendation. Our Nature for Climate fund will support increased planting in England, and we will work with the Devolved Administrations to increase planting across the UK.