Category: Europe

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Heatwave Leads to Fires and Mass Evacuation in Greece

27 July 2023 – by Darina Kalamova

The Northern Hemisphere is currently in its summer season and heatwaves have been causing widespread chaos in many countries. Southern and Eastern Europe has been experiencing record-breaking temperatures for the past two weeks. Wildfires are ravaging countries, people are risking their lives and are losing their homes and livelihoods.

Rhodes is in flames

Numerous fires have erupted throughout Greece since the heatwave began, with very intense ones occurring in Rhodes,  the largest of Greece’s Dodecanese islands. The island has been battling wildfires for the past ten days and since then, the flames have spread from the island’s mountainous area into its heavily populated parts causing mass evacuation operations.

Thousands of people have been forced to leave their homes and abandon holidays in order to protect their lives. In fact, more than 20,000 people have fled the flames since the weekend, making this Greece’s largest-ever wildfire evacuation. Authorities have been using transport planes to transfer camp beds, sleeping bags, and other essential supplies to Rhodes.

Many of the evacuated people were tourists who ended up being stranded at airports or other makeshift shelters including schools and conference halls for days. Since then, some have managed to get back to their respective countries, but many homes and businesses on the island have been destroyed.  In the upcoming days, government experts are expected to visit the area and assess the damage. 

Beyond the island’s borders

The prolongated heatwave is causing severe issues in other parts of the country as well. According to Pavlos Marinakis, a spokesperson for the Greek government, the firefighting efforts have become increasingly difficult due to the combination of high temperatures and parched conditions. He added that since the beginning of the heatwave, the country has had more than 50 new fires per day, or more than 600 in total.  

Emergency services are tackling fires on Evia and some areas have already been evacuated there. Corfu is another popular summer destination, which has suffered dramatically over the past two weeks and over 2000 people have been evacuated. The Greek Prime Minister warned that everybody should stay on high alert for the following weeks as “the climate crisis will manifest itself everywhere in the Mediterranean with greater disasters.”

Climate Change 

Scientists are warning that such heatwaves will become even more severe in the near future and different regions around the globe will start experiencing them more and more often.  According to a study conducted by World Weather Attribution, the events witnessed this month would have been “extremely rare” in the absence of human-induced climate change. The World Weather Attribution team estimated that the increasing greenhouse gas emissions are making the European heatwave 2.5 Celsius hotter than it would otherwise have been. Therefore, even though, fires are common in Greece, climate change has led to even more extreme heatwaves and increased temperatures.

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“A Threat-Multiplier”: EU Warns of Climate Crisis-Fuelled Conflict and Migration 

11 June 2023 – by Cosmo Sanderson

The European Commission has warned its member states to brace for the “spill-over effects” of the climate crisis, setting out a new raft of proposals for dealing with the increased conflict and migration it will cause. 

Rising sea levels, rising temperatures and extreme weather events all “threaten the health and well-being of humanity,” said the Commission in its joint communication last month with the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell. 

The Commission and Borrell set out around 30 actions they believe should be taken to prepare member states for the fallout of the climate crisis. These include setting up a data and analysis hub on climate and environment security and launching training platforms at a national and EU level. 

The proposals will strengthen climate-informed planning, they argue, as well as enhancing the climate adaptation and mitigation measures of member states’ security and defence forces. 

The Commission and Borrell have now invited the European Parliament and the European Council to support the “new outlook on the climate and security nexus.”

The paper, published in June, notes that of the 20 countries that are the “most vulnerable and least prepared” for climate change, 12 were in conflict in 2020.

Instability caused by the climate and lack of resources can be actively used by “armed groups and organised crime networks, corrupt or authoritarian regimes,” says the paper. 

Since 2008, an estimated 21.5 million people have been forcibly displaced by weather-related events such as floods and heatwaves every year. These numbers are expected to increase, says the paper, “putting stress” on urban centres where demand for housing, food and jobs may rise – contributing to the “increasing social impacts of climate change.”

Sea-level rise, which UN secretary general António Guterres recently warned could lead to migration on a “biblical” scale, is also labelled a security risk due to the “scale of potential displacement.” 

The Commission and Borrell say it is therefore “critically important to continue investing in both climate adaptation and mitigation and in protecting and restoring the environment.”

However, while much is being done in this regard, they say states should prepare themselves for “increased spill-over effects on the European Union.”

The UN special rapporteur on human rights in the context of global warming recently called out the “shocking” number of migrant deaths that take place in Europe and the Mediterranean. He called on countries to help end this by handing humanitarian visas to those displaced by the climate crisis.  

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Climate Migrants Must Get Visas to Stop “Shocking” Number of Deaths in EU, Says UN Expert

11 July 2023 – by Cosmo Sanderson

In the wake of the latest catastrophic sinking of a migrant boat in the Mediterranean, a UN expert has called on countries to stop the “shocking” number of migrant deaths in Europe by providing humanitarian visas to those displaced by the climate crisis.  

The international community “must realise its responsibility” to protect people displaced by global warming, says Ian Fry, UN special rapporteur on human rights in the context of climate change.

Fry last month issued a report calling on the UN’s Human Rights Council to submit a resolution to the UN General Assembly, urging it to develop a protocol under a 1951 refugee convention to bolster protections for people affected by the climate crisis. 

Until then, he urged all nations to pass laws providing “humanitarian visas” to people displaced by the climate crisis as an “interim measure.”

“The effects of climate change are becoming more severe, and the number of people displaced across international borders is rapidly increasing,” says Fry, a dual national of Tuvalu and Australia who the UN last year appointed as its first special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change.

In 2020 alone, 30.7 million people were displaced due to weather-related events, says Fry in his report. Droughts, such as that currently gripping the Horn of Africa, which has resulted in the displacement of over two million people, were said to be the “main factor.”

People displaced by climate change face multiple human rights violations including of their rights to “food, water, sanitation, housing, health, education and, for some, their right to life,” says Fry. “We must take immediate steps to give legal protection to these people.”

Among the most recent to pay the ultimate price for trying to seek a better life in Europe were around 600 people who are either confirmed or presumed dead after their overcrowded fishing vessel sank off the coast of Greece in June. 

Fry says it is “shocking” to note that, of an estimated 50,000 migrants to have lost their lives or gone missing crossing land and sea borders between 2014 to 2022, “more than half of those deaths occurred on routes to and within Europe, including in the Mediterranean Sea.”

One recent study found that the climate crisis could within decades push billions of people into living in “unprecedented” heat unsuitable for human survival, acting as a massive catalyst for further displacement. UN secretary general António Guterres recently warned that sea level rise alone could lead to migration on a “biblical” scale.

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Bonaire’s Residents To Launch Legal Action Against The Netherlands

boats on river between trees during daytime

4 June 2023 – by Darina Kalamova

Bonaire is an island located in the southern Caribbean Sea. Due to its small size and low elevation, it is highly susceptible to the negative effects of climate change. These effects encompass flooding, intense rainfall, prolonged periods of high temperatures, as well as the degradation and potential loss of coral reefs.

The Report

In 2022, a shocking study, outlining climate change’s effect on the island, was published. The report revealed how climate-related issues are already impacting the everyday experiences of individuals residing in the Caribbean region and what could happen in the near future if immediate action is not taken. 

Legal Action  

The island became a special Dutch municipality in 2010 and since then the Dutch government has been responsible for implementing any climate measures.

As a result of this and the study from 2022, a group of Bonaire inhabitants,  together with Greenpeace,  has launched legal action against the Dutch government, claiming that it has neglected its duty to safeguard the island against the impacts of climate change.

Citizens fear that climate change will have disastrous consequences for the island’s unique flora and fauna, their health, and livelihoods. The plaintiffs emphasized that the Dutch government should speed up its work on limiting global warming below 1.5 degrees and that emissions from the Netherlands should be reduced to zero by 2040. 

This is not only due to the significant CO2 emissions originating from the European Netherlands, but also because the residents of Bonaire are Dutch citizens, who should be treated as such.  For example, according to Faiza Oulahsen, Head of Climate and Energy at Greenpeace, there are standards against flood risks, dykes, and a lot of policies in the European Netherlands that do not exist in Bonaire.

Government’s Response

As a response, the Dutch government put up a statement pledging to accelerate its efforts. In addition, it recently announced that it would increase its funding to make it easier for the island to access existing energy transition and economic subsidies. However, if the Dutch government does not come up with a long-term solution, the plaintiffs are planning on filing a formal legal challenge and standing trial. The government is given until the end of September to come up with a plan of action. 

A Global Movement For Climate Justice

The Bonaire climate case is part of a global movement for climate justice, spearheaded by coastal and island residents, who despite contributing the least to the climate crisis, are disproportionately bearing the brunt of its effects.  

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The European Union Passes a Groundbreaking Law to Reduce EU-Driven Deforestation and Forest Degradation

an aerial view of a dirt road in the middle of a forest

30 May 2023 – by Ella Kiyomi Dobson

Agriculture is the most significant contributor to deforestation globally. Commodities linked most greatly with deforestation are cocoa, palm oil, timber, rubber, cattle, coffee, and their derivative products (leather, chocolate, and furniture). The EU import of these agricultural products is the second largest contributor to deforestation globally, after China. As a result, the European Union proposed the Regulation to curb EU-driven deforestation and forest degradation in November 2019 to rectify its contribution to the degradation of some of our world’s most important ecosystems. The passing of the law in the April 2023 European Union plenary session means the law will come into effect in the coming days. 

This law requires operators to collect geographic coordinates of where the commodity was produced. The law will allow a strict-level of traceability to ensure that products entering the EU market are sourced from deforestation-free areas. This law is the world’s first to tackle deforestation and curb the impact deforestation has, particularly on indigenous communities whose livelihoods depend on forest ecosystems. More importantly, it tackles legal deforestation and illegal deforestation, which sets this law apart from other global initiatives. By sanctioning legal deforestation, the EU hardens the environmental protection level rather than other countries that may lower environmental protections to sell products on the European market. In addition, the EU Commission has proposed Forest Partnerships for producing countries to support a just transition to sustainable value chains. Partnerships with these producing countries would create socio-economic opportunities for people living in communities reliant on agricultural output for their livelihoods. 

This law is groundbreaking, could have wide-reaching impacts, reduce carbon emissions by 31.9 million metric tons a year, and reduce the number of communities displaced by agricultural expansion. This ambitious regulation has direct environmental and social implications and impetus for other nations to follow suit. For example, in the US, the FOREST Act was drafted by lawmakers in 2021. With similar but less stringent parameters, this act would sanction those companies involved in “illegal” deforestation. However, with Republicans taking control over Congress in November 2022, there are fears the Forest Act will be blocked. With the passing of this EU regulatory law, there will be pressure on the US government to sanction products coming from regions with continued forest degradation. If India, China, the US and Japan followed the EU’s footsteps, “75% of the world’s imported deforestation could be eliminated”. This law is the first of its kind, but hopefully a stepping stone for improving biodiversity loss, human displacement, and CO2 emission outputs.

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Mediterranean Heatwave Considered “almost impossible” Without Impacts of Climate Change

bokeh photography of thermometer on plant

15 May 2023 – by Willy Phillips

Since mid-April 2023, the Mediterranean region has experienced record-breaking sustained 40-degree Celsius temperatures due to an unprecedented heatwave. The uncharacteristically hot and dry spring has led to wildfires, droughts, and water shortages, affecting millions of people in countries such as Spain, Morocco, and Italy. The heatwave, described as the most severe in recent history, has quickly captured scientists’ and citizens’ attention.

According to experts studying the phenomenon, the heatwave would be “almost impossible” without the current climate crisis and the resulting atmospheric changes. A study from the World Weather Attribution found that the increase in global temperatures due to greenhouse gas emissions was the primary cause of the heat wave. The report further states that if no mitigatory efforts are taken, such heat waves will become more frequent and intense, leading to severe consequences for the region’s ecosystems, resources, and people.

The European Space Agency (ESA) monitors the Mediterranean region and has reported that a marine heatwave, understood as “extreme rises in ocean temperature over an extended period of time,” also affects the Mediterranean Sea. The recent heatwave has caused the sea’s surface temperature to rise, leading to the expansion of harmful algal blooms and the death of marine life. The ESA has also reported that the marine heatwave has affected the region’s fisheries and tourism industries, leading to significant economic losses.

The heatwave hit Spain and Morocco the hardest, with temperatures reaching 45 degrees Celsius. As a result, severe wildfires have torn through the regions, destroying forests and homes, forcing thousands of people to evacuate. The temperature spikes have also worsened water shortages in the area, with some cities resorting to water rationing.

The Mediterranean heatwave is a warning sign that the varied effects of climate change may be upon us. Moreover, it highlights the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prioritize human longevity as extreme temperatures, droughts, and wildfires become more significant threats to humanity. 

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German Citizens Take Legal Action Against the National Government Over Air Pollution

white and blue clouds

4 October 2022 – by Darina Kalamova

A group of German citizens has launched legal action against the German government over polluted air.  They claim their right to breathe clean and healthy air has been violated and that Germany should tighten its air quality legislation. 

Air pollution is a big health threat as it is linked to long-term diseases, including cancer, heart problems and respiratory illnesses. In addition, experts are worried that air quality could get even worse this winter due to the looming energy crisis, especially if more people turn to resources such as coal and wood to heat their homes.

Furthermore, the claimants argue that while air pollution levels in Germany often comply with EU legislation, they are still four-five times higher than what the World Health Organization recommends in its 2021 guidelines for clean air. This means that even though cities are not considered polluted, people are still breathing dangerously dirty air.

The European Union has legally-binding air quality standards, but they haven’t changed since 2015.  The European Commission is currently working to revise the air quality guidelines and align them more closely with the WHO recommendations, but it might take a while until they become obligatory for the member-states.

The case comes after the Advocate General to the European Court of Justice, Juliane Kokott, said in May that it could be possible for EU citizens to claim compensation from their governments when their health has been affected by high levels of air pollution.

Despite the fact that the opinions of Advocate Generals are not legally binding, they are usually taken into account by the court. Therefore, if air pollution levels do not decrease in the near future, cases such as this one may become more common.

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Activists File First-ever Climate Lawsuit Against Russia

Snow storm in the Red Square, Moscow (Credit: Flickr/Vladimir Varfolomeev)

24 September 2022 – by Cosmo Sanderson

A group of activists have filed the first-ever climate lawsuit against Russia’s government, demanding urgent action to cut greenhouse gas emissions in a country that is warming twice as fast as the global average. 

The lawsuit was filed in Russia’s supreme court by plaintiffs including Ekozashita or ‘Eco-defence’ and the Moscow Helsinki Group, founded in the 1970s to expose human rights abuses in the Soviet Union.

In the 13 September filing seen by Reuters, the group says that “while temperatures around the world have risen by about 1°C compared to pre-industrial levels over the past 50 years, in Russia they have risen by 2.5°C and this ratio will continue or even worsen in the future.”

The group says the lawsuit is the first of its kind to be accepted by a Russian court.

Russia has pledged to cut its greenhouse gas emissions to 70% of their 1990 level by 2030. By 2050, it says it will cut emissions to 20% of the 1990 level. 

But the group says the only way Russia can meet its obligations under the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement is to reduce its emissions to 31% of 1990 levels by 2030; and to 5% of 1990 levels by 2050. 

Failure to meet those more ambitious targets could seriously imperil a country that has two thirds of its territory in the Arctic North, the group argues.

Those targets will only be made tougher by Russia’s war with Ukraine, which has aside from its immediate environmental destruction also prompted a reported global “gold rush” for new fossil fuel infrastructure. 

Eighteen activists are also signatories to the lawsuit and the group told The Guardian that it faces “considerable risks” in taking a public stand in a country known for brutal crackdowns against dissent – especially following the invasion of Ukraine. 

However, by taking the government to court, the group hopes that it will “save the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.”

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Extreme Drought in Europe is Causing Record-Breaking Disruption

Low waters of the Rhine river in summer 2022

9 September 2022 – Darina Kalamova

This year another negative climate-related record in Europe will likely be broken as the ongoing drought is set to become the worst one in the last 500 years.

The combination of low rainfall and extremely high summer temperatures is overheating and drying up rivers and lakes across Europe. Water shortages are already hindering the continent’s activity because the river basins provide important economic routes and ecosystems. Without them, international trade, industrial activity, agriculture, energy and food production are in danger of collapse. 

The Rhine is Europe’s largest and most important river and its water is used for freight transport, irrigation, manufacturing, power generation and drinking. Since early August 2022, the river has been recording alarmingly low levels and is in danger of becoming impassable. This will halt the transport of grain, coal, and other goods with catastrophic economic consequences. Ships are already being forced to limit their cargo and if the water level continues to drop, they may have to stop operating altogether.

Economic activity in the Danube is disrupted as well. Wrecks of World War II ships have resurfaced from the water and while this is not the first time this has occurred, the wrecks emerge only when the water level is extremely low. The rise of water temperature also poses a serious threat to the river as the overheating can result in lower oxygen content and not enough soil moisture. Concerns for the survival of the local fish species have been raised.

Other important European waterways are facing similar threats and experts warn that the expected rainfall this autumn may not be enough to raise water levels high enough to restore normal activity and that similar dry periods may no longer be exceptions in the future, but the rule.

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Heatwave-Induced Wildfires Displace Thousands Across Southern Europe

silhouette of trees during sunset

21 July 2022 – by Ottoline Mary

The ongoing European heatwave has brought about many tragedies. Among them, the media’s attention has been focusing on wildfires, which have already destroyed tens of thousands of hectares of land – three times the average for this time of year. Such events do not only negatively impact biodiversity and the economies that rely on it; they also pose a direct threat to human life.

As a result of these wildfires, the authorities have carried out mass evacuations of local populations and holidaymakers, with as many as 15,000 people displaced in less than 24 hours in the French department of Gironde. The phenomenon is spreading throughout the Mediterranean, affecting parts of Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Croatia, Greece, Crete, and Turkey.

A Malaga resident says she barely had time to grab a few essentials before making a run for it. The emergency has prompted the construction of temporary shelters to house recent evacuees. However, a long-term resettlement solution is yet to be found.

When disasters such as this occur in the Global South, it is customary for Western governments and companies to dismiss the dangers of climate change. But today, extreme weather events are multiplying before their eyes. Could this finally be the wake-up call Western leaders needed to take actionable steps and save our planet from extinction?