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1st May 2019
10:09am BST
16-year-old greta Thunberg has inspired climate strikes around the world (Credit: Leon Neal)[/caption]
Both met 16-year-old Greta Thunberg, figurehead of the youth climate strike movement, during her visit to London last week.
Labour released sections of Corbyn's speech in advance, which will call for immediate action to deal with rising temperatures and loss of wildlife. He will say: "Today this house must declare an environment and climate emergency.
"We have no time to waste. We are living in a climate crisis that will spiral dangerously out of control unless we take rapid and dramatic action now.
"I was deeply moved a few weeks ago to see the streets outside this parliament filled with colour and noise by children on strike from school chanting, 'Our planet, our future.'
"For someone of my generation, it was inspiring but also humbling that children felt they had to leave school to teach the adults a lesson. The truth is, they are ahead of the politicians on this, the most important issue of our times.
"Parliament rarely leads change, it usually drags its feet. Think about the huge transformations to our society: workers’ rights, women’s rights, gay rights.
"The impetus has always come from outside, from social movements and communities, while Westminster is often the last place to understand it. Let’s not repeat that pattern. Let’s respond to the younger generation, who are raising the alarm.
"By declaring a climate emergency, we could set off a wave of action from parliaments and governments around the world. It’s a chance that won’t be available to succeeding generations. It is our historic duty to take it."Explore more on these topics:
