Oct. 11th - Fifty-five Greenpeace volunteers have this afternoon scaled the walls of the Houses of Parliament and are now occupying the roof of the historic building. They are calling for a new style of politics in Britain, one capable of rising to meet the challenge of climate change.

Tomorrow MPs return from their summer break for the first parliamentary session since the expenses scandal dragged the reputation of British politics to new depths. With the Committee on Climate Change calling for a “step change” in UK action to cut emissions, and the vital Copenhagen climate summit in less than two months, the climbers say climate change should be right at the top of the political agenda.

The activists are vowing to stay on the roof overnight so they can welcome politicians back to Westminster in the morning. They unfurling a huge banner on the roof of the Palace of Westminster’s Great Hall that says: “CHANGE THE POLITICS, SAVE THE CLIMATE.” They have also issued a manifesto listing twelve simple steps British politicians could agree to today to rapidly get the UK onto a low carbon path, and provide the help poorer countries need to develop clean energy, adapt to the impacts of climate change and protect their rainforests.

One of the activists, 28 year-old Anna Jones, said: “We’ve climbed onto the roof of the Houses of Parliament because too many of the politicians and parties who work in this building are failing us all on climate change. The clock’s ticking down to the big climate summit in Copenhagen, but politicians are still treating the most important issue of our time as a political plaything. We need a green economy that will create jobs and bring prosperity while helping us beat climate change. We need politicians to be fighting for the next generation, not just the next election.”

The forty volunteers gained access to the roof by passing modified ladders through the railings. Before breaching security they told police officers exactly who they were and made it clear that they were about to embark on a peaceful protest. Five of the volunteers – all of them experienced rope access experts – then climbed up the building’s 15m lightning conductor and are now out of reach of security guards on the roof’s apex, where they plan to stay for the next 24 hours. The other 50 protesters are on a lower roof equipped with tents and enough food and water to maintain an overnight occupation

In less than 60 days the world gathers for the key climate change conference in Copenhagen, but as things stand there is a very real risk of failure. At last week’s preliminary UN climate meeting in Bangkok, China and 130 other developing nations accused the richer countries, including the UK, of trying to sabotage the negotiations. There is widespread concern that the developed nations are not making the necessary commitments to seal the vital deal.

26 year-old Christian Hunt, another of the people on the roof, said: “We’ve heard a lot of talk from politicians, lots of speeches and soaring rhetoric and new targets, but little real action. That needs to change. As MPs return from their summer break we need to see them come together, put their differences behind them and agree to simple steps that will slash emissions here in Britain, grow new green industries and set the kind of example that could build trust and break the deadlock before the Copenhagen conference.”

The activists are asking all the party leaders, MPs and Lords to sign up to the new climate manifesto. Anna Jones said: “Our manifesto includes ruling out all emissions from new coal-fired power stations, ending airport expansion and delivering on the clean energy revolution that would see Britain harness the huge natural resources of our wind-swept island to build employment, develop new green industries and cut pollution. People say they get into politics to make a real difference. Well here’s their chance.”

Greenpeace volunteers will be fanning out across Westminster tomorrow morning, asking newly-returning politicians to sign up to the manifesto commitments which could move the UK onto a safe, low carbon path, whilst helping poorer countries to develop clean energy and protect the forests we all depend on.

None of the parties has a perfect record on climate change. The Government gave the green light to Heathrow expansion and has failed to rule out emissions from new coal plants. The Conservatives have ruled out a third runway at Heathrow, but are yet to agree to a commitment ensuring 15% of all Britain’s energy comes from renewables by 2020, while Tory local authorities consistently block wind power developments. George Osbourne did not even mention climate change in his conference speech. Meanwhile the Liberal Democrats have some far-sighted policies on a national level, but regionally and locally they have blocked wind farms, supported new road schemes and promoted regional airport expansion.

Next week sees a meeting in London of environment ministers from the Major Economies Forum, where the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitters will continue to discuss approaches to the Copenhagen meeting. After the failure of developed countries at the UN meeting in Bangkok last week to make the stronger commitments needed to break the deadlock and reassure poor countries of their resolve, renewed leadership is desperately needed within the EU, which Britain could provide.

Tomorrow the Committee on Climate Change will publish their progress report on emissions reductions for the UK. They will call for a “step change” in emissions cuts and make clear that the UK is not doing enough to meet its commitments. They will also call for a strengthening of coal policy and for a cap on aviation emissions.