A banner is hung across a roadway while people participate in direct action with Extinction Rebellion on April 17, 2019 in New York City. The activists are demanding governments to declare a climate emergency. (Photo by Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon became the first world leader to declare a "climate emergency" on Sunday.
The Scottish leader told delegates to a party conference in Edinburgh she was inspired after meeting young climate activists.
Ms. Sturgeon said: "A few weeks ago, I met some of the young climate change campaigners who've gone on strike from school to raise awareness of their cause. They want governments around the world to declare a climate emergency. They say that's what the science tells us. And they are right."
"So today, as first minister of Scotland, I am declaring that there is a climate emergency. And Scotland will live up to our responsibility to tackle it."
The Scottish first minister said she was declaring the emergency because the science showed global warming was worsening. Scotland's Green Party has recently criticized Sturgeon's government for moving too slowly on climate change.
Also, this weekend, UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn launched a bid to declare a climate emergency in the United Kingdom. Members of Parliament will vote this Wednesday on 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, one of the key demands of the Extinction Rebellion (XR) movement, whose activists took over London in recent weeks. Corbyn said he hoped other countries would follow if the UK Parliament became the first in the world to declare a climate emergency.
The Climate Emergency Movement has grown rapidly as more than 450 local governments have recently declared a climate emergency and committed to action to drive down emissions at emergency speed. A spreadsheet of all the local governments is available here. To learn more or to get involved, click here.
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Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon became the first world leader to declare a "climate emergency" on Sunday.
The Scottish leader told delegates to a party conference in Edinburgh she was inspired after meeting young climate activists.
Ms. Sturgeon said: "A few weeks ago, I met some of the young climate change campaigners who've gone on strike from school to raise awareness of their cause. They want governments around the world to declare a climate emergency. They say that's what the science tells us. And they are right."
"So today, as first minister of Scotland, I am declaring that there is a climate emergency. And Scotland will live up to our responsibility to tackle it."
The Scottish first minister said she was declaring the emergency because the science showed global warming was worsening. Scotland's Green Party has recently criticized Sturgeon's government for moving too slowly on climate change.
Also, this weekend, UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn launched a bid to declare a climate emergency in the United Kingdom. Members of Parliament will vote this Wednesday on 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, one of the key demands of the Extinction Rebellion (XR) movement, whose activists took over London in recent weeks. Corbyn said he hoped other countries would follow if the UK Parliament became the first in the world to declare a climate emergency.
The Climate Emergency Movement has grown rapidly as more than 450 local governments have recently declared a climate emergency and committed to action to drive down emissions at emergency speed. A spreadsheet of all the local governments is available here. To learn more or to get involved, click here.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon became the first world leader to declare a "climate emergency" on Sunday.
The Scottish leader told delegates to a party conference in Edinburgh she was inspired after meeting young climate activists.
Ms. Sturgeon said: "A few weeks ago, I met some of the young climate change campaigners who've gone on strike from school to raise awareness of their cause. They want governments around the world to declare a climate emergency. They say that's what the science tells us. And they are right."
"So today, as first minister of Scotland, I am declaring that there is a climate emergency. And Scotland will live up to our responsibility to tackle it."
The Scottish first minister said she was declaring the emergency because the science showed global warming was worsening. Scotland's Green Party has recently criticized Sturgeon's government for moving too slowly on climate change.
Also, this weekend, UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn launched a bid to declare a climate emergency in the United Kingdom. Members of Parliament will vote this Wednesday on 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, one of the key demands of the Extinction Rebellion (XR) movement, whose activists took over London in recent weeks. Corbyn said he hoped other countries would follow if the UK Parliament became the first in the world to declare a climate emergency.
The Climate Emergency Movement has grown rapidly as more than 450 local governments have recently declared a climate emergency and committed to action to drive down emissions at emergency speed. A spreadsheet of all the local governments is available here. To learn more or to get involved, click here.