UK Parliament has declared a climate and environmental emergency becoming the first parliament in the world to acknowledge urgent work needs to be done to halt irreversible and damaging change to the world. The United Nations and scientists say we could have just 12 years left to limit a climate change catastrophe.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who tabled the motion, said it was “a huge step forward”.
“This can set off a wave of action from parliaments and governments around the globe. We pledge to work as closely as possible with countries that are serious about ending the climate catastrophe and make clear to US President Donald Trump that he cannot ignore international agreements and action on the climate crisis.
He called on UK MPs to recognise the “devastating impact” that volatile and extreme weather will have on all walks of life.
“We have no time to waste. We are living in a climate crisis that will spiral dangerously out of control unless we take rapid and dramatic action now. This is no longer about a distant future. We are talking about nothing less than the irreversible destruction of the environment within our lifetimes.”
Conservative Environment Secretary Michael Gove acknowledged there was a climate “emergency”
“The situation we face is an emergency. It is a threat that all of us have to unite to meet. Five of the warmest years that this planet has endured have happened since 2010. The consequences for all of us are visible.
“While statistics can sometimes be abstract and the impact can seem distant, we can all know that as individual citizens and as parents that the next generation will face the consequences if we do no take action now to deal with climate change.”
Gove added that legislation will be introduced by the government “shortly” to ensure “highest standards of environmental protection” to “change in how this country tackles the twin challenges of climate change and broader ecological degradation”.
The motion called for the UK to achieve net-zero emissions before 2050 and implement legislation to restore the UK’s natural environment and deliver a “zero waste economy” within the next six months.
With re-greening/re-wilding programmes and amazing technological advances ever increasing, the major hurdle to tackling climate change is still human motivation and priorities. Hopefully the declaration will focus minds and everyone will get on with the job in hand.
