Mitsotakis urges climate action after Greece battled almost 1,300 wildfires in August

·

Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, said wildfires that ripped through the outskirts of Athens and other parts of Greece this month underlined the need for radical shifts in behaviour to tackle global warming.

Everything needed to change in order to minimise the effects of the climate crisis, he told parliament on Wednesday during a debate on the wildfires and criticism of the government’s response to them.

Dealing with the crisis “is forcing us to change everything; the way we produce agricultural products, how we move around, how we generate energy and the way we build our homes,” he said.

READ MORE: Mitsotakis asks locals to conserve power as Greece battles fires and ‘worst heatwave since 1987’.

Mitsotakis was speaking in Parliament on Wednesday.

Part of a succession of blazes that struck southern Europe during a summer heatwave, the Greek fires scorched more than a quarter million acres of pine forest, with the island of Evia and areas of the Peloponnese, including near the archaeological site of the ancient Olympics, also hit.

Mitsotakis told lawmakers an earlier public apology for the disaster was also a call for action to become better at tackling such phenomena.

“We were called to put out 1,279 wildfires … the majority were tackled in the beginning but some got away. Preparedness was not adequate,” he said.

Defending the response of the fire brigade and civil protection services, he reiterated that his government’s top priority was to save lives.

READ MORE: Greek government defends response as Evia wildfires burn for eighth day.

During August, Greece recorded its hottest temperatures since 1987.

Mitsotakis, who has approved a 500-million-euro ($587 million) aid budget for Evia and the Attica region around Athens, said the protracted heatwave had turned forests into powder kegs.

“It is wrong to say that wildfires are only put out from the air. We cannot have a helicopter above every home,” he said, but pledged to increase aerial firefighting capacities and set up a force able to operate efficiently inside forests.

READ MORE: Australian helicopters arrive in Athens and prepare to fight wildfires across Greece.

Source: Reuters.

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

Greece’s Deputy Foreign Minister meets Sydney’s Greek business and community leaders

Deputy Foreign Minister of Greece Ioannis Loverdos met with Sydney’s Greek business and community leaders at a Business Sydney breakfast.

Conquest unveils $900 million plan for former Cyprus Club site at Stanmore

Conquest has lodged plans for a $900m retail and residential precinct on the site of the former Cyprus Community of NSW Club in Stanmore.

Councillor Katerine Theodosis calls on Merri-Bek to preserve its proud migrant history

Merri-Bek Councillor Katerine Theodosis has tasked Council to lead a program which documents and showcases the city’s migrant history. 

AHEPA Australia launches ‘Saving Hearts’ fundraiser in support of Heart Foundation

AHEPA Australia will host a Saving Hearts Fundraiser on Sunday, October 12, at The Grand Roxy in Sydney in support of the Heart Foundation.

Former Sydney teacher Bill Kafataris jailed for child sexual grooming

Bill Kafataris, 57, has been sentenced to two years in jail after being found guilty of sexually grooming a child following a retrial.

You May Also Like

France backs Greece’s request for post-bailout investment drive

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said his government is backing Greece’s request to make emergency spending on the migrant crisis exempt from official fiscal calculations.

Australia’s ambassador to Greece joins foreign diplomats in reciting Greek literature for #StayHome campaign

Australia’s ambassador to Greece Thanassis ‘Arthur’ Spyrou was included in the recently released video, reciting Yannis Ritsos' poem, 'Monochords'.

Hellenic Lyceum of Sydney celebrates 1821 Greek Revolution with creative Annual General Meeting

Members of the Hellenic Lyceum of Sydney gathered at the Grove Conference Centre for their Annual General Meeting.