BOSSES have declared a climate emergency as councillors warn urgent action is needed to tackle global warming.

At a Rossendale Borough Council meeting last week, councillors agreed a motion which commits the authority to become carbon neutral by 2030.

The motion, proposed and seconded by Councillor Steve Hughes and Councillor Janice Johnson respectively, also commits the council to set a 100 per cent clean energy target, write to government to urge that it brings forward more funding and devolved powers to help the council met its target and create a new climate change member champion.

Councillor Alyson Barnes, Leader of the Council, said: "We cannot bury our head in the sands over this. Everyone has to do whatever they can to address this emergency. Our young people have bravely taken a lead. They rightly say unless we take action now, we will have failed them."

Councillors also passed a motion, moved and seconded by Councillor Sean Serridge and Councillor Margaret Pendlebury, on single use plastics and the effect they are having on the environment and on wildlife.

The motion commits the council to reviewing all services areas with the aim of minimising the use of non-biodegradable single use plastics.