The European Commission sharply criticized the denial of climate change
European Commission Vice President Thérèse Ribera sharply criticized politicians who deny climate change. According to her, such statements mislead people and prevent Europe from preparing for increasingly dangerous natural disasters, particularly large-scale wildfires.
European Commission Vice President Thérèse Ribère stated that politicians who deny climate change or downplay its consequences pose a real danger to society. She made this statement in an interview with Euronews amid massive wildfires that have swept through Spain, France, and Greece.
According to Ribera, there has recently been an increase in the number of politicians in Europe who question the findings of climate science and characterize environmental policy not as a necessity but merely as a matter of ideology. “Many new members of the European Parliament, political parties, and national politicians have emerged who are vocally opposing climate science and climate policy. This is dangerous; they are lying to people,” she said.
The European Commissioner emphasized that such statements can have serious consequences, as they prevent society from realizing the scale of the problem and preparing adequately for natural disasters.
According to Ribera, the current wildfires can no longer be explained solely by seasonal weather patterns. She believes that climate change is contributing to the emergence of new types of wildfires that spread faster, become more extensive, and pose an ever-greater threat to people. “Climate change is leading to the emergence of new types of wildfires,” she emphasized.
To explain her position, Ribera drew a comparison to driving while intoxicated. “The most obvious example is when a person in public office says you can drink as much whiskey as you want and then get behind the wheel, because traffic accidents have nothing to do with alcohol and depend only on the condition of the road or the car. That’s nonsense,” said the European Commission vice president.
In her view, it is just as dangerous to ignore the role of climate change in the occurrence of large-scale wildfires. She is convinced that due to global warming, natural disasters are becoming more severe and threaten not only nature but also people’s lives, residential areas, critical infrastructure, and the economy.
Ribera also emphasized that Europe must not only combat the consequences of such disasters but also continue policies aimed at reducing emissions and adapting to new climatic conditions. In her view, disregarding or denying scientific facts only complicates this work and makes European countries more vulnerable to natural disasters. The European Commissioner made these remarks in an interview with Euronews.
In southwestern France, massive wildfires have approached defense industry facilities where rocket engines are manufactured and explosive materials are stored. Some facilities have already been evacuated, and security measures around the plants have been stepped up to prevent the fire from spreading.
