* Aims to ensure 50 bln stg capacity is carbon neutral
* Britain gearing up to host global climate talks
* Follows criticism of state-backed finance sector
By Simon Jessop
LONDON, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Britain's export credit agency
said it aims to achieve net zero carbon emissions across its
investments by 2050 and increase its support for green exports.
UK Export Finance's (UKEF) move follows a commitment in
April to end support for fossil fuel projects overseas and ahead
of Britain hosting global talks on climate change.
It also follows criticism from campaigners that state-backed
groups are not doing enough to overhaul their lending.
UKEF has a capacity of 50 billion pounds to support exports
through loans, insurance and guarantees, and said it would be
carbon neutral on a net basis by mid-century, in line with the
aims of the Paris Agreement on climate.
UKEF, which provided 12.3 billion pounds in support for UK
companies over the last year, said it planned to increase
financial support for exports linked to renewable energy and
activities focused on adapting to the impacts of climate change.
"We must take urgent action to respond to the threat of
climate change to have a chance of limiting global warming,"
UKEF CEO Louis Taylor told Reuters, adding: "We have pledged to
decarbonise all of our operations and financial portfolio."
Demand for green trade is expected to be worth 1.8 trillion
pounds a year by 2030, delivering up to 170 billion pounds of
export sales in goods and services for Britain by 2030, a Board
of Trade report in August said.
(Reporting by Simon Jessop; Editing by Alexander Smith)