Newcastle's leaders have declared a 'climate emergency' in the city, amid protests from environmental campaigners who accused the council of "perverse" decisions.

Dozens of campaigners from Save Newcastle Wildlife, the Green Party, Defend Dewley Hill and Extinction Rebellion gathered outside Newcastle Civic Centre on Wednesday evening to call for new climate commitments from the local authority, and to oppose plans for a new opencast coal mine near Throckley.

A petition with almost 3,000 signatures was then presented to a full council meeting, where the Green Party's Taymar Pitman said she was "concerned to learn that the council haven't been taking the threat of climate change seriously".

Campaigners from Save Newcastle Wildlife, the Green Party, Defend Dewley Hill, and Extinction Rebellion protesting outside Newcastle Civic Centre
Campaigners from Save Newcastle Wildlife, the Green Party, Defend Dewley Hill, and Extinction Rebellion protesting outside Newcastle Civic Centre

In response, the Labour authority - which "fundamentally" disagreed with its critics - agreed to follow Sunderland and Durham in declaring a climate emergency and pledged to make Newcastle carbon neutral by 2030.

Ms Pitman said: "It is clear we are not the only people concerned about the climate crisis.

"In this short space of time, this petition amassed almost 3,000 signatures from people in Newcastle, who are worried for their futures and those of their children.

"All these people are calling upon you, their elected leaders, to declare a climate emergency and to take the action that's urgently needed."

Campaigners from Save Newcastle Wildlife, the Green Party, Defend Dewley Hill, and Extinction Rebellion protesting outside Newcastle Civic Centre
Campaigners from Save Newcastle Wildlife, the Green Party, Defend Dewley Hill, and Extinction Rebellion protesting outside Newcastle Civic Centre

She also criticised the council's "perverse decision-making" on issues such as continuing to support the Alive After Five city centre parking concessions while Tyneside is in the grip of an air pollution crisis.

The protest, at which Labour's North of Tyne mayoral candidate Jamie Driscoll spoke, did not include a repeat of the Extinction Rebellion demonstrations at other councils and in Parliament which have involved nudity and superglue.

Coun Nick Kemp, the council's cabinet member for environment, responded that he "fundamentally disagreed" with claims that the issue was not taken seriously.

He also promised to establish a 'Climate Change Convention', bringing together businesses, residents, academics and public sector representatives to agree a city-wide action plan.

Coun Kemp said: "We will work with the convention to lobby Central Government for funding to assist us in achieving these challenging targets and look to the North of Tyne combined authority to align with this programme.

"In recent months we have seen young people coming together to demand change.

"We stand with them, we are entering a climate change emergency. We believe that further radical action is needed now to show leadership on this issue before it is too late."

Campaigners from Save Newcastle Wildlife, the Green Party, Defend Dewley Hill, and Extinction Rebellion protesting outside Newcastle Civic Centre
Campaigners from Save Newcastle Wildlife, the Green Party, Defend Dewley Hill, and Extinction Rebellion protesting outside Newcastle Civic Centre

The council's opposing parties became embroiled in a row over Labour's refusal to bring forward a Lib Dem motion on the same climate emergency issue to the front of the meeting agenda, which left less than half an hour to discuss it again at the end of the meeting.

Lib Dem councillor Wendy Taylor said: "This council has not done enough over the last eight years. It is great to hear that they are going to take some action but it is too little, too late. We really need to get on with this."

Her colleague Greg Stone said that the council "hasn't been interested" in climate issues and that the rate of change on issues like transport and housing standards "is not good enough".

Green campaigners said after the meeting that they feared there was "no meat" behind the council's promises, as the authority did not agree to a commitment to report annually on its carbon emission reductions.

A demand to end council and Tyne and Wear Pensions Fund investment in fossil fuels was also removed from the motion eventually voted through by Labour, replaced by a promise to "ensure that representatives on the Tyne and Wear Pensions Fund continue to lobby for further disinvestment in fossil fuels".