A baby doll is strung up to a pole with a NOOSE around its neck outside Parliament House 

A realistic-looking baby doll has been strung up to a pole with a noose around its neck as part of a climate change protest. 

Activists wearing white masks swarmed Parliament House in Canberra on Tuesday and called on the government to declare a ‘Climate Emergency’. 

They strung up a doll by its neck, claiming the confronting image symbolised the death of the future of humankind.

Activists ramped up the drama when they swarmed Parliament House in Canberra on Tuesday

The protest came as Labor joined the Greens on a motion to declare a climate emergency.

‘Climate change is a significant threat to our economy, natural environment, farming communities and national security,’ the motion read.

It asks the lower house to affirm that ‘the threat posed by climate change on the future prosperity and security of Australia and the globe constitutes a climate change emergency’.

It also notes Australia’s emissions have been rising in recent years and the latest scientific advice says the world is on track to warm by more than three degrees.

The Paris Agreement, which Australia has signed up to, calls for countries to act to limit warming to two degrees and ideally 1.5C.

‘We make no apologies for saying that we will act on the science of climate change,’ Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese told Labor colleagues when they met in Canberra on Tuesday.

While some Labor members, notably frontbencher Joel Fitzgibbon, have been calling on the party to moderate its climate change policies, no one spoke against the move during the caucus meeting.

The party expects to get support from the Greens and crossbenchers, including independent Zali Steggall.

Greens MP Adam Bandt put a similar motion on the House’s books a month ago, but Labor sees it as important to declare its own position on the parliamentary record.

Protesters were seen wearing white masks with nooses around their necks as they called on the federal government to declare a ‘Climate Emergency’

Mr Bandt said with Labor on board, there was a very real chance parliament would declare a climate emergency before year’s end.

‘Now it’s time for Liberal members to decide which side they’re on and go on the record,’ he said.

Last month, he and independent MP Zali Steggall said they believed if the coalition party room gives its members a conscience vote on the issue, a motion declaring the emergency can pass parliament

Labor MPs have been receiving emails asking for the party’s position on the emergency declaration.

And a record number of Australians – more than 345,000 – have signed an e-petition to parliament asking it to declare a climate emergency.

Nearly three million Australians are living in areas where their local councils have declared climate emergencies and pledged greater action to combat climate change, including aiming for 100 per cent renewable energy and zero net emissions.

Countries including Britain, France and Canada have also made the call.