London, Jan 3 (IANS): Six projects across the UK were awarded a share of 8 million pounds ($10 million) in government funding to create the world's first net-zero emissions industrial zone by 2040, according to an official announcement.

Projects in the West Midlands, Tees Valley, North West, Humber, Scotland and South Wales will develop plans to reduce carbon emissions, Xinhua news agency quoted the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) as saying in the announcement on Saturday.

A net zero industrial zone will see all industries in a region collectively reducing their carbon dioxide emissions to as close to zero as possible using low-carbon energy sources and new technology like carbon capture, the Department said.

Energy Minister Kwasi Kwarteng said: "As we continue to level up the UK economy and build back greener, we must ensure every sector is reducing carbon emissions to help us achieve our commitment to net zero emissions by 2050.

"This funding will help key industrial areas meet the challenge of contributing to our cleaner future while maintaining their productive and competitive strengths."

Bryony Livesey, director of the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), said: "This is a crucial step in the government's plans to develop cost-effective decarbonisation in industrial hubs that tackle the emissions challenge UK industry faces."

In 2021, China and the UK will host the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) and the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), respectively.