CLIMATE change protesters set up outside County Hall on Sunday to back a motion.

The Extinction Rebellion protesters held up banners and placards in support of the motion for Worcestershire County Council to lead on reducing greenhouse gas emissions for the whole of the county, in line with the 78 per cent reduction by 2035 government target.

The banners and placards featured messages that said: "Vote for Motion", "Business as usual cannot continue" and "Climate Emergency".

Last week we reported Worcestershire County Council was due to discuss the motion that called for countywide – not just council – carbon emission targets to be put in place to help cut greenhouse gases but the debate was never had after it was ruled as unconstitutional.

The call came following the county council’s decision to declare a climate emergency in July which acknowledges the need to act on the causes and impacts of climate change and commits the authority’s to reducing its own greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050.

The motion, put forward by the council’s Green and Independent councillors, called for targets to be put in place for the whole county which would work towards the government’s ambition to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 78 per cent by 2035.

Council rules prohibit ‘similar’ motions from being discussed again within six months of a decision being made - which means the debate cannot be had until at least January 2022.