Students from the island’s high schools have hit out at politicians’ failure to declare a climate emergency.

During the May sitting of Tynwald, a motion by Garff MHK Daphne Caine was put on hold when MHKs and MLCs failed to agree over an amendment put forward by Environment Minister Geoffrey Boot.

The students returned to Legislative Buildings to protest what they see as a continuing lack of action.

Mr Boot’s amendment would have seen Tynwald welcome Chief Minister Howard Quayle’s statement on an emergency and a planned bill on climate change during the next legislative year.

Matthew Bridson, 17, who attends Castle Rushen High School, said: ’It’s frustrating that a lot of other countries are aware [that there is an emergency]. It’s the way a lot of the world is moving but we’re stuck.’

Tara Alton, 16, who goes to Ballakermeen High School, added: ’This should be a top priority.’

Ciara Sowerby, one of the organisers of the climate change protests, said she was ’very disappointed’ that Tynwald had failed to declare an emergency due to way the votes fell.

She also warned MHKs that while students are currently working for their exams and weren’t able to attend the May sitting that the Hansard record of the debate ’would make interesting reading’, as would how politicians voted.

One of the politicians who came to speak to the students was Bill Henderson MLC who said he opposed Mr Boot’s amendment but ’fully supported’ Mrs Caine’s motion.

Her motion would have seen Tynwald declare an emergency and ’allocate the necessary resources to take urgent and significant action’.

Mr Henderson said: ’We need action now, not later this year or next year. This isn’t something we can just kick into the long grass.’

Archibald Elliot, from Queen Elizabeth II High School, said he didn’t support Mr Boot’s amendment and said that politicians ’lack substance behind their words’.

Mrs Caine’s climate emergency motion is likely to return in the June sitting when Mr Boot’s amendment will go to a combined vote.