JEREMY CORBYN will call on MPs tomorrow to accept their “historic duty” by formally declaring a “climate emergency.”

The Labour leader will lead a debate that could result in Parliament being the first in the world to declare “an environment and climate emergency” if a majority of MPs back his party’s motion.

It’s time to act. pic.twitter.com/ebVkAvbcj5

— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) April 30, 2019

He will use his speech to make a case for “rapid and dramatic action,” pointing out that current targets for Britain to reach net-zero carbon emissions by the end of the century would be at least 50 years too late.

In setting out plans for a green industrial revolution, Mr Corbyn will call for “large-scale government intervention to kick-start industries, to direct investment and to boost research and development in the green technologies of the future.”

Mr Corbyn will argue that some of the poorest parts of the world are already suffering the effects of climate change, and he will tell MPs that they should listen to those who bear the highest cost and are least to blame here and around the world for the destruction.

He will also call attention to the “terrifying loss of animal and plant species” and the declining health of soil.

In his speech to MPs he will add that “intensive farming is pumping the earth full of fertilisers and taking its toll on our soil. The Environment Secretary himself has warned that we only have 30 to 40 years left before our fertile soil is ‘eradicated’.”

Mr Corbyn will urge Parliament not to “drag its feet” but take action to show it has been listening to the urgent demands of environmental activists such as the youngsters going on school strikes and in recent protests by Extinction Rebellion (XR).

He will say: “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.

“We are witnessing an unprecedented upsurge of climate activism with groups like Extinction Rebellion forcing the politicians in this building to listen. For all the dismissive and defensive column inches the protests have provoked, they are a massive and necessary wake-up call. Today, we have the opportunity to say: ‘We hear you’.”

Environmental campaigners including UK Student Climate Network, Momentum and XR are expected to stage a demonstration in Westminster as MPs vote on the motion.

Today young members of XR briefly met Mr Corbyn and talked at greater length to shadow chancellor John McDonnell and shadow environment secretary Sue Hayman.

They said that Mr McDonnell will request that XR presents its case to the shadow cabinet and has also agreed to presentations to Labour’s environment committee and the shadow Treasury team.

They reported that Mr McDonnell will consider changing the Labour motion to “halt biodiversity loss and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050” to include a new target of 2030.

“We’re glad that John McDonnell listened to the urgency of our demands but we need our politicians to be more ambitious,” XR’s statement said.

Co-ordinator of Extinction Rebellion Youth,19-year-old Savannah Lovelock said: “I am still yet to see politicians listen to young people and do everything within their power to protect our future.”