May 2 (UPI) — Britain’s Parliament declared a formal “environment and climate emergency” Wednesday, endorsing a motion by the country’s Labor Party.
Labor Party leader Jeremy Corbyn called for the motion, passed without a vote, which called on the government to set a target of reaching net zero emissions before 2050 in addition to the emergency declaration.
“We pledge to work as closely as possible with countries that are serious about ending the climate catastrophe and make clear to [U.S. President] Donald Trump that he cannot ignore international agreements and action on the climate crisis,” Corbyn said.
During the debate Corbyn warned net zero emissions couldn’t be reached until the end of the century under current trends, adding this would leave “our grandchildren fighting for survival on a dying planet.
Environment Secretary Michael Gove responded by agreeing “that the situation we face is an emergency” and calling for a cross-party approach to allow Britain to take action on the climate.
Wednesday’s declaration came a week after 16-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg addressed lawmakers to encourage them to combat climate issues.
“It is a great first step because it sends a clear signal that we are in a crisis and that the ongoing climate and ecological crises must be our first priority,” she said of the motion. “We cannot solve an emergency without treating it like an emergency.”
Climate activist group Extinction Rebellion also held protests, which blocked major London landmarks.
“This is the first step in the government telling the truth about the climate and ecological emergency,” Extinction Rebellion said after the declaration. “Pressure on politicians will now increase as nothing but decisive action will suffice.”
Governments in Wales and Scotland as well as the cities of Bristol and London had previously declared their own climate emergencies.
