Hundreds of protesters in city centre to declare 'climate emergency'

A crowd of campaigners dominated by students and school pupils crowded the No 1 Mann Island building at Pier Head looking to catch the attention of the Liverpool City Region’s (LCR) Combined Authority and politicians like Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram and City Mayor Joe Anderson.

The protest was part of a wider Climate Strike taking part in cities around the country, and saw between 150 and 200 shouting and chanting in the city centre.

It came before and during the LCR’s monthly meeting, and was arranged by Youth Strike for Climate Change, with local groups and politicians from various parties also in attendance.

Garance Levy, of Youth Strike for Climate Change, said: “Climate change is the greatest threat currently facing humanity and it is us, the younger generation, who will have to suffer the most severe consequences through no fault of our own.

“We want a commitment and a strategy for Liverpool to be carbon-neutral by 2030, investment in public transport and cycle lanes, the preservation of green spaces, support for local schools to implement recycling schemes, and a clamp down on single-use plastic in the region.

“The impending threat of climate change to our futures and to our planet can no longer be ignored and urgent action must be taken by today’s politicians.”

During the meeting, the group of protesters gathered at the ground floor close to the windows of the combined authority chamber, attempting to make as much noise as possible to disrupt proceedings.

Ms Levy added: “Our previous national protests were largely ignored by national politicians, with only 12 government MPs attending the first debate on climate change in the House of Commons for two years.

“Therefore, in choosing to demonstrate outside the Liverpool City Region meeting at Mann Island, we’re taking our demands directly to the local politicians who have the power to implement them.”

Addressing the meeting on Friday, Metro Mayor Rotheram said: “Climate change is one of the biggest threats facing our society and requires serious and bold action from us all.

“I have always been committed to environmental issues and acknowledged the emerging climate emergency in 2017 in my manifesto, promising to make sure our city region is at the forefront of sustainable technology and that we are zero carbon by 2040.

“Whilst there is always more to do, and as a combined authority we do not control local planning decisions, our city region has an excellent track record of delivering on green issues”.

He mentioned aspects such as the region’s low-carbon economy being worth £2bn and employing 22,000 people, £460m being invested in a new fleet of trains, seven out of 10 buses being low emission, and the establishment of a Clean Air Task Force to tackle pollution earlier this year.

He added: “However, we cannot do this alone. We need concerted action from central government to tackle the environmental challenges we face.

“I will continue to push for that action while at the same time we keep doing out utmost to ensure that our city region is as green as it can be.”

Also at the meeting the allocation of £51.3m was accepted from central government for the authority’s adult education budget, as well as an £18m skills capital fund being created.