EAST Lancashire MPs have hailed a United Nations scientific report on climate change as a call to action to halt global warming before it is too late.

The organisation's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said human activity was changing the climate in unprecedented and sometimes irreversible ways.

This week's landmark study warned of increasingly extreme heatwaves, droughts, wildfires such as seen in Greece, and flooding.

The report 'is a code red for humanity' said UN Secretary General António Guterres.

His warning was endorsed by Blackburn Labour MP Kate Hollern and her Hyndburn Tory counterpart Sara Britcliffe.

The IPCC report, which comes less than three months before a key climate summit in Glasgow known as COP26, said urgent action now could avert the worst impacts of global warming.

Mrs Hollern said: "The messages from the IPCC are stark to say the least and they cannot be ignored.

"The past eighteen months has shown that where governments impose restrictions on movements emissions can be reduced. At the same time the pattern of recent years is without doubt clear: global warming is happening and it is in our hands to stop it.

"If governments do not take this issue seriously I fear for the future of our planet and what generations to come will have to deal with.

"Up until now governments across the world have paid lip service to the climate change agenda. This needs to change now'"

Ms Britcliffe said: "This report reinforces the importance of the UK playing a key role in a global effort to tackle climate change.

"It also highlights why the measures this government has brought forward, such as the net zero target and the ban on new petrol and diesel car sales, are so important.

"Quite frankly, the President for COP26, Alok Sharma MP was right when he said this is a wake up call for us all."

Pendle MP and transport minister Andrew Stephenson said: "I am proud that the UK has decarbonised our economy faster than any other G7 nation whilst growing our economy proving that green growth is possible.

"I was proud to be an energy minister when the UK passed into law our world leading net zero by 2050 commitment and look forward to the UK continuing to provide global leadership.

"The COP26 climate change summit will provide a golden opportunity to showcase what the UK has achieved and work with our international partners to increase global ambitions."