UK is first country to declare state of climate emergency

Following weeks of protests in cities all around the country, the United Kingdom has become the first country in the world to declare a state of environment and climate emergency.  The United Kingdom has declared a state of environment and climate emergency, the first country in the world to do so. The proposal is symbolic of the country’s willingness to act on climate change, but does not legally oblige the government to take action. The idea was proposed by Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of the UK’s left-wing Labour party, and follows a series of large public protests by environmentalist group Extinction Rebellion (XR), who have been blockading roads to protest against the British government’s inaction on climate change. Hundreds of XR protesters have been arrested in recent weeks.