In what could be an important policy change for one of the world's largest industrial nations, Members of Parliament have accepted UK Labour Party Leader Jermey Corbyn's declaration of an environmental and climate emergency. The Guardian reports that Environment Secretary Michael Gove conveyed the government's support for the emergency to the House of Commons. Green Party members have their suspicions as to what this will mean in practice. Green MP Caroline Lucas asked Gove how his statement could be reconciled with the government’s support for a third runway at Heathrow Airport, but he declined to answer.
The debate follows large protests in London by schoolchildren demanding the government take bold and decisive action on climate change. The climate school strikes were only part of the direct action occuring in and around London in recent weeks. Extinction Rebellion organized sit-ins that shut down roads and bridges. And just last week, teenage Swedish activist Greta Thunberg - who has urged climate strikes by schoolchildren in many European countries - met Parliament leaders to urge they take action.
REIP will follow this developing breakthrough. You can read about the debate here: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/may/01/declare-formal-climate-emergency-before-its-too-late-corbyn-warns
Also, check out Extinction Rebellion at https://rebellion.earth/
