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There will soon be more electric car charging points and carbon limits on buildings around Merseyside.

Wirral Council is set to increase investment in environmental initiatives, starting with declaring a 'climate emergency', expected to happen at an extraordinary meeting this summer.

With the minority Labour council now in place, the party has created a brand new cabinet position: a member for environment and climate change.

The party says if it can get support from other parties, work will begin immediately to create a "climate emergency action plan", which would see initiatives such as charging points, energy efficient lighting and power across public estates, and more.

Cllr Liz Grey, holder of the new portfolio, said the council will call on the UK Government to recognise the world is facing a climate emergency, and to redouble efforts "to protect future generations from what the United Nations secretary general called a ‘direct, existential threat’".

She added: “We recognise the efforts already developed locally to protect our environment by reducing our carbon footprint, and we congratulate those residents and organisations from our borough who won awards at the recent Liverpool City Region Environment Awards.

Climate change protest marches through streets of Liverpool earlier this year:

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“However, in this Liverpool City Region Year of the Environment, it is clear more needs to be done to avert what scientists are now calling an environmental catastrophe. Global temperatures are rising and millions of species are threatened with extinction, many of which are essential for human existence."

Cllr Grey said the extraordinary council meeting to declare an environment and climate emergency will be held in July, adding: "This declaration will include calling on Government to show leadership and do more on this agenda, but also be clear that Wirral Council is committed to playing its part.

“Subject to securing cross-party support, we will immediately start work on creating our Climate Emergency action plan, including investment in electric car charging points, energy efficient lighting and power across public estates and many other measures to reduce our carbon footprint.”