GREEN campaigners want York's council to stop putting money into fossil fuels, and will be pushing councillors to agree to that at a meeting this evening.

Green party councillors want City of York Council to follow the examples of places like Bristol and Oxford, as well as the Church of England and the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust and stop investing in fuels that contribute to climate change.

The council is part of the North Yorkshire Pension Fund for local government workers, and the Green councillors are now putting forward a motion to the council calling for a report on how the money - either through direct investments or the pension fund - can be pulled out of fossil fuels.

Liberal Democrat Andrew Waller, who is executive member for environment, wants the different political groups to work together on getting more community run and renewable power projects in York, as well as more recycling and reductions in carbon emissions.

He said: "The upcoming UN Conference on Climate Change should see the EU commit to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent before 2030. York should be ready to play its part in this and as a local council we need to be increasing recycling to over 50 percent, reducing carbon emissions, and expanding the use of renewable power generation."

He is also asking the Conservative government to change its policies after power plant Drax announced it was abandoning a £1 billion project to introduce "carbon capture" technology, after subsidies for renewable energy were cut.

Cllr Waller said: "To fulfil our ambitions regionally we also need the help of Government. This is why last week’s announcement by Drax was so disappointing. It showed the decision to cut support for renewable energy following the election is already having a direct effect and putting local jobs at risk. A change of approach is desperately needed."

The fossil fuel campaign will come as an amendment to Cllr Waller's motion on recycling and power generation.

At the same meeting councillors will vote on whether to bring forward a review of council tax support in York, so changes could be made in time for the start of the next financial year.