UK firefighters union responds to UN climate report

Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union General Secretary, has called for greater action following the UN’s scathing report into climate change, which asserted that human activity is changing the Earth’s climate in ‘unprecedented’ ways and warns of inevitable and irreversible changes.

Wrack said: “Firefighters here and across the world are on the front line of the climate crisis. We see the effects of climate change every time we fight wildfires and save people from floods, and we will fight as hard as we can for politicians to wake up and take notice. As a humanitarian service we cannot stand by and watch this happen.”

Inadequate containing of wildfires across Europe

The Fire Brigade Union’s comments come as several countries across Europe struggle to contain the spread of wildfires for several weeks. Most recently, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis issued a public apology for failing to tackle week-long wildfires.

Wrack continued: “This report confirms that human activity is responsible for climate change and we are running out of time to save ourselves. But this requires fundamental political, social, and economic change across the world, and those in power have, so far, failed in the face of this immense challenge.

“The report tallies closely with what firefighters across the world experience on a daily basis: a planet rapidly breaking down. Now, we have a view of the bigger picture – that humanity has a final chance to act before huge devastation occurs.”

France and the US are among countries that have committed to support Greece’s aerial firefighting efforts, sending Canadair aircraft and a P-8 surveillance aircraft.