MPs will vote on Wednesday whether to declare an environmental and climate emergency following mass protests over political inaction in addressing the crisis.
Labour will force a Commons vote on the issue, fulfilling one of the key demands of the Extinction Rebellion (XR) movement, whose activists paralysed parts of London in recent weeks.
Scotland have taken the move as First Minister Nicola Sturgeon recently declared a “climate emergency” in her speech to the SNP conference in Edinburgh.
Campaigners warn that without bolder action across wider sectors of the economy such as transport, buildings and agriculture, UK progress on emissions will grind to a halt.
Labour’s policy is for the UK to achieve net zero emissions before 2050 – an ambition which falls far short of XR’s call for a 2025 deadline. If the vote is in favour, this could potentially release more funding to help tackle poorly insulated properties across the UK.
Photograph © UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor
SOURCE: http://tiny.cc/dktw5y