*[Enwl-eng] Europe is on fire
enwl
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Climate change is causing wildfires and deadly heat waves. This is the last chance to reach an agreement among key countries and combat global warming. Call on our governments to take this seriously. |
We are facing the real and current consequences of climate change. Fires burned in France, Spain, Portugal and beyond. The fact that temperatures have hit as high as 45 degrees Celsius is not due to the natural course of things. It is because governments are still not taking enough action on climate change.
Authorities across Europe are battling to control huge wildfires. More than 1,000 deaths have been attributed to the week-long heatwave in Portugal and Spain so far. [1] Since May, Europe has been among the fastest warming areas in the world. Forecasts show no sign of abating, and it has even moved towards Northern countries, with the UK reaching 40 degrees. [2]
European and world leaders must protect our forests as a key line of defence against climate change. We need to treat this as the emergency that it is and push for urgent action. There is still time to limit the disruption and stay on course to avoid the worst-case climate scenarios. [3]
As the UN Secretary-General António Guterres said, “We have a choice. Collective action or collective suicide. It is in our hands.” [4] Will you call on the EU and European governments to take the climate crisis seriously by protecting our forests and planet before it’s too late?
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Rising temperatures caused by climate change evaporate more moisture from the ground, drying out the soil and making vegetation more flammable. At the same time, winter snowpacks are melting earlier, meaning the forests are drier for longer periods. Hot and dry conditions help fires spread faster, burn longer and rage more intensely. [5] Health experts liken the effect of such intense heat on the brain to ‘boiling an egg’. [6]
Without steep cuts to greenhouse gases causing climate change, heatwaves, wildfires, flooding and drought will only worsen. We need to call on our leaders to take action right now.
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Thank you for fighting for our planet!
David (London), Aleksandra (Warsaw) and the WeMove Europe team
References:
[1]
https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/-climate-change-affects-everyone---europe-battles-wildfires-in-intense-heat/47759550
[2]
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/07/19/world/uk-europe-heat-fires-weather
[3]
https://www.greenpeace.org/aotearoa/story/global-heatwaves/
[4] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jul/18/humanity-faces-collective-suicide-over-climate-crisis-warns-un-chief
[5]
https://www.edf.org/climate/heres-how-climate-change-affects-wildfires
[6]
https://www.brusselstimes.com/health/257467/like-a-boiling-egg-how-the-heatwave-affects-your-body
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