Leeds Council to declare climate emergency in the city

The authority will call on the government to provide them with the funding and powers to become carbon neutral by 2030.

Being carbon neutral means balancing carbon emissions with carbon removal or simply eliminating them altogether.

-> Five in every 100 deaths of people aged over 30 in Leeds linked to air pollutionIt comes as hundreds of young people are expected to take part in the worldwide Climate Strike at Leeds Town Hall tomorrow (Friday), demanding action on climate change.

Children skipped school to take part in last month’s strike - in which young people demanded that Leeds City Council declare a climate emergency.

Judith Blake, Leader of Leeds City Council said the “climate emergency is real” and action needs to be taken to avert climate “disaster.”

Coun Blake said: “The climate emergency is real. If we don’t take radical action much sooner than previously thought it will be too late to avert climate disaster and all the extreme consequences that will bring.

“Many young people have expressed their understandable concern about this and it is right they are listened to.”

-> Faster trains to London to arrive in Leeds after five month delayCoun Blake said that while Leeds had many schemes which benefit the climate,they are not enough and that the city needs more funding and powers to achieve its goals.

She said: “If the motion is agreed we will bring forward proposals for a conversation with everyone in the city on what practical measures are needed as part of an emergency plan to an Executive Board meeting in April.

“However, it is absolutely key that the Government then gives us the funding and powers to implement many of the radical actions needed.”

The ruling Labour Administration will submit the motion on Wednesday, March 27 at a full council meeting.

-> Fire crews still investigating huge M1 lorry fire near Leeds that took four hours to put out