European Parliament declares symbolic ‘climate emergency’

European Union lawmakers yesterday declared a “climate emergency” in a symbolic vote that heightens pressure for action against global warming at an upcoming summit. With increasingly erratic weather patterns from wildfires in Australia to floods in Europe being linked to climate change, governments are under scrutiny to find urgent solutions at the United Nations’ summit in Spain on Dec 2-13. After a debate on Monday night, the European Union (EU) legislature voted in favour of the declaration with 429 lawmakers for, 225 against and 19 abstaining.