VANCOUVER - The districts of North Vancouver and West Vancouver are the latest British Columbia governments to declare climate emergencies.

Councillors in both districts voted unanimously Monday night to adopt motions recognizing a climate crisis and declaring an emergency exists.

Both councils also directed staff to develop policies to reduce greenhouse gasses and meet emission reduction targets.

The non-profit group, Force of Nature Alliance, says six Metro Vancouver municipalities have adopted climate emergency motions since January.

It also says the Lower Mainland is poised to become Canada's first zero-carbon metropolis.

Across B.C., 20 cities, towns and regional districts have backed similar motions since the start of the year.

The Climate Emergency Declaration movement began in Australia in 2016 and its website says 744 governments in 16 countries have now signed up.

The figure includes the Canadian House of Commons last month and more than 400 other Canadian local governments, mostly in Quebec.