The people involved with Extinction Rebellion have confronted the government with the uncomfortable truth that time is running out to protect the planet.

I was pleased to meet some of the Extinction Rebellion activists recently in Bethnal Green. I also met with protestors from the Climate Coalition in Westminster.

Their message is loud and clear - unless we declare a climate emergency - as the London Borough of Tower Hamlets has, we face a threat to life on earth.

If we keep pumping carbon into our atmosphere, we face more extreme weather, rising sea levels threatening places such as Bangladesh, India and Thailand, wildfires, food and water shortages, and mass population movements.

Preventing this catastrophe is not just up to governments and corporations - it is up to all of us.

We can all play a role in how we consume, travel, shop and live.

We can recycle and compost. We can ask for alternatives to plastic.

We can put pressure on the government and local authorities to put the climate first. We can support local traders and growers, local allotments and food co-operatives here in east London.