The ACT parliament has declared a climate emergency.

The national capital has become the first Australian state or territory to do so.

ACT Greens leader and Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability Shane Rattenbury has moved a motion calling on federal parties to acknowledge there is a state of climate emergency that requires urgent action.

“The climate emergency status means that the government needs to prioritise climate action,” Mr Rattenbury said.

“From now on, every time the government makes a decision we will ask ourselves: what does this decision mean for climate change, for emissions, and for the climate crisis we need to avert?

“If it is not consistent with reducing emissions, then we need to think again.”

The motion also condemned the Morrison Government for “continued failure to enact effective climate change policy”.