MORE than 150 people gathered outside City Hall urging City of Newcastle to declare a climate emergency at the monthly council meeting on Tuesday night.
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Some of the advocates gathered on the building's front steps holding signs that read "climate emergency" while others sang chants in Civic Park.
A notice of motion moved by Greens councillor John Mackenzie proposed the council publicly acknowledge there is a state of climate emergency that needs urgent action by all levels of government.
"This is a motion calling on the city to take a leadership position in declaring a climate emergency, and bringing all of those people that are here to today looking for leadership from this chamber," he said.
However, an amendment put forward by Cr Declan Clausen eventually passed as an alternative motion.
It proposed City of Newcastle recognise that there is a "global climate emergency" and "urgent need for real action on climate change".
It also noted the prior work of the council to reduce emissions and reaffirmed its commitment to a just transition for coal-mining communities.
Cr Mackenzie, while disappointed it was not his motion that passed, said after the meeting he was "proud of our community and our movement".
"I'm proud that council has declared a climate emergency," he said.
"We are the 19th council [in Australia] to do so."
