Updated 4.56pm: Greenpeace activists who have scaled Parliament as part of a climate change protest plan to remain there.

However, several National MPs have commented that they're not bothered and not paying attention to the demonstration.

Four campaigners are sitting on a ledge just below the building's roof-line.

They're displaying a banner attacking National Party policies, alongside a head shot of John Key.

Greenpeace chief policy advisor Nathan Argent said the protestors have food and supplies to last until the end of the day.

He said they're not occupying or stopping anything, they're just sending a message to the Government.

Parliament's Speaker David Carter said the matter has now been handed to police and their opinion is it's best to allow the protest to take its course.

"Ultimately the protestors will come down, at some stage they will get cold and hungry I have no doubt, and then the police will take further action."

MP's arriving at Parliament have been greeted with the sight.

Maori Party Co-leader Marama Fox said "it doesn't say much for our security."

• Top 10 Tweets: Greenpeace Activists Scale Parliament

"What if they had been terrorists and blew it up? We'd have a whole new Guy Fawkes."

Marama Fox sa she doesn't support the building protest, but thinks "we need to do something about climate change. Look what happened in Whanganui right now."

MORE: Top 10 Tweets about Greenpeace activists climbing Parliament.

Nathan Argent reports the protest is being held to draw attention to climate change, and what the organisation sees as failures by the government to address the issue. 

Argent said in the wake of flooding and extreme weather events, the government needs to take action. 

"Our government needs to put in place a real climate action now. John Key has had seven years to take climate change serious and to take action, but instead he's failed to introduce a single piece of law to reduce climate pollution."

The Green Party's been running a similar political campaign and today asked specific questions of the government on the issue in Question Time.

Party Co-Leader James Shaw said they had no knowledge of the Greenpeace protest.

"It is coincidental, because the Dutch ruling was last night and we wanted to ask that question while it was timely."