Councils declare climate emergency after Green Party campaign

Twenty seven councils have declared a 'climate emergency' following a campaign by the Green Party to encourage environmental action at a local authority level.

Motions calling for councils to declare a climate emergency have been passed on 27 principal authorities, with many speeding up commitments to go carbon neutral. They are:

Bradford City, Brighton and Hove UBC, Bristol City Council, Calderdale, Cambridge City Council, Cheltenham, Cornwall Council, Enfield, Forest of Dean DC, Hastings Borough, Kirklees MBC, Lambeth LBC, Lancaster City Council, Lewes DC, Liverpool City Council, Manchester City, Milton Keynes, North Somerset Unitary, Nottingham, Oxford City, Reigate and Banstead BC, Richmond, Saint Albans City, Scarborough BC, Shropshire Unitary, Stroud DC, Trafford MBC.

Climate emergencies have also been declared on 10 parish or town councils.

Bristol City Council became the first principal authority to declare a climate emergency in November 2018.

Green London Assembly member Caroline Russell has also pushed the Mayor of London to declare a climate emergency after winning support from the London Assembly to go carbon zero by 2030.

Jonathan Bartley, co-leader of the Green Party, secured a climate emergency declaration from Lambeth Council where he is a councillor, said:

“The UN has made clear we have a limited window of opportunity before 2030 to limit climate breakdown, but the Government is twiddling its thumbs. I am incredibly proud of all Green Party councillors and members taking real climate action - it's time for Westminster to follow our example.”