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| Climate change: What is a climate emergency? | Climate change: What is a climate emergency? |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| A national climate emergency has been declared by Parliament. | |
| MPs are calling on the government to make changes that include setting a new target of reaching net zero emissions before 2050. | |
| The current target is to reduce carbon emissions by 80% (compared to 1990 levels) by 2050. | The current target is to reduce carbon emissions by 80% (compared to 1990 levels) by 2050. |
| Dozens of local areas around the UK have already declared a climate emergency - but what does that mean? | Dozens of local areas around the UK have already declared a climate emergency - but what does that mean? |
| There's no single definition, but many local areas say they want to be carbon-neutral by 2030. | There's no single definition, but many local areas say they want to be carbon-neutral by 2030. |
| Some councils have promised to introduce electric car hubs or build sustainable homes to try to achieve that goal. | Some councils have promised to introduce electric car hubs or build sustainable homes to try to achieve that goal. |
| Why declare an emergency? | Why declare an emergency? |
| The United Nations says we could have just 12 years left to limit a climate change catastrophe. | The United Nations says we could have just 12 years left to limit a climate change catastrophe. |
| Bristol councillor Carla Denyer first put forward the idea of a local area declaring a climate emergency and in November the city council passed the motion. | Bristol councillor Carla Denyer first put forward the idea of a local area declaring a climate emergency and in November the city council passed the motion. |
| "We are acknowledging we are in an emergency situation," she told Radio 1 Newsbeat. | "We are acknowledging we are in an emergency situation," she told Radio 1 Newsbeat. |
| She says it's not just about reducing carbon emissions on a local scale, but also raising awareness about climate change and trying to convince MPs so that changes can be made. | She says it's not just about reducing carbon emissions on a local scale, but also raising awareness about climate change and trying to convince MPs so that changes can be made. |
| "The national government needs to declare an emergency and put resources in place to enable councils to help reduce carbon emissions. | "The national government needs to declare an emergency and put resources in place to enable councils to help reduce carbon emissions. |
| "It's the first step to radical action." | "It's the first step to radical action." |
| Do you have a question you want to ask about the planet? Try our climate change chatbot. | Do you have a question you want to ask about the planet? Try our climate change chatbot. |
| If you can't see the chatbot above tap on this link. | If you can't see the chatbot above tap on this link. |
| Where else has declared a climate emergency? | Where else has declared a climate emergency? |
| Dozens more areas have copied Carla's motion and declared climate emergencies including Manchester, London, Edinburgh and Bath. | Dozens more areas have copied Carla's motion and declared climate emergencies including Manchester, London, Edinburgh and Bath. |
| Smaller parish and town councils have also asserted their own declarations to put pressure on government. | Smaller parish and town councils have also asserted their own declarations to put pressure on government. |
| The small market town of Machynlleth in west Wales declared a climate emergency in January. | The small market town of Machynlleth in west Wales declared a climate emergency in January. |
| The town is looking at things like improving the energy efficiency of buildings and creating an electric car club to help it become carbon-zero by 2030. | The town is looking at things like improving the energy efficiency of buildings and creating an electric car club to help it become carbon-zero by 2030. |
| What has all this got to do with recent strikes and protests? | What has all this got to do with recent strikes and protests? |
| Thousands of students from across the UK and around the world have walked out of lessons to protest about climate change. | Thousands of students from across the UK and around the world have walked out of lessons to protest about climate change. |
| One of their key demands, according to the UK Student Climate Network, is that they want the government to declare a climate emergency. | One of their key demands, according to the UK Student Climate Network, is that they want the government to declare a climate emergency. |
| They also want the national curriculum reformed to include "the ecological crisis as an educational priority". | They also want the national curriculum reformed to include "the ecological crisis as an educational priority". |
| And Extinction Rebellion - the group who held recent protests in UK cities including London, Manchester and Newcastle - also wants a new legally binding target set for the UK to reduce its carbon emissions to net zero by 2025. | And Extinction Rebellion - the group who held recent protests in UK cities including London, Manchester and Newcastle - also wants a new legally binding target set for the UK to reduce its carbon emissions to net zero by 2025. |
| 'Climate change needs to be a much bigger issue in everyday conversation' | 'Climate change needs to be a much bigger issue in everyday conversation' |
| Sam Appleton, 21, has put his degree on hold at Oxford University to become a climate change activist. | Sam Appleton, 21, has put his degree on hold at Oxford University to become a climate change activist. |
| He's told Newsbeat he thinks the most effective thing to make governments change their policies is activism. | He's told Newsbeat he thinks the most effective thing to make governments change their policies is activism. |
| "I've come to the conclusion that this has to work this year if we are to avoid any future crises - we've only got 12 years. | "I've come to the conclusion that this has to work this year if we are to avoid any future crises - we've only got 12 years. |
| "In my eyes, climate change should be treated like there's a war going on and it should be the only thing people and MPs are talking about, not Brexit." | "In my eyes, climate change should be treated like there's a war going on and it should be the only thing people and MPs are talking about, not Brexit." |
| He says although small lifestyle changes like swapping car journeys for cycling are important - changes in policy are more important. | He says although small lifestyle changes like swapping car journeys for cycling are important - changes in policy are more important. |
| What does the government say? | What does the government say? |
| In the Spring Statement, the Chancellor announced gas heating for new houses will be banned by 2025, as part of plans to address the concerns of those protesting about climate change. | In the Spring Statement, the Chancellor announced gas heating for new houses will be banned by 2025, as part of plans to address the concerns of those protesting about climate change. |
| While that move was welcomed by environmental campaigners, many said the government hadn't gone far enough. | While that move was welcomed by environmental campaigners, many said the government hadn't gone far enough. |
| In a statement to Newsbeat, the government's Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) said: "Climate change is one of the most urgent and pressing challenges we face today, and the UK is a world leader in tackling this problem. | In a statement to Newsbeat, the government's Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) said: "Climate change is one of the most urgent and pressing challenges we face today, and the UK is a world leader in tackling this problem. |
| "We were the first country to introduce long-term legally binding climate targets under the trailblazing Climate Change Act, which has helped the country cut greenhouse gas emissions by over 40% since 1990 and encouraged other nations to follow our lead. | "We were the first country to introduce long-term legally binding climate targets under the trailblazing Climate Change Act, which has helped the country cut greenhouse gas emissions by over 40% since 1990 and encouraged other nations to follow our lead. |
| "We want to continue to lead the world, which is why we've asked our independent climate experts for advice on a net zero emissions target." | "We want to continue to lead the world, which is why we've asked our independent climate experts for advice on a net zero emissions target." |
| Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. | Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. |
| Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here. | Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here. |