Brussels – Activists from Greenpeace, WWF, Friends of the Earth, European Environmental Bureau, Extinction Rebellion, Seas at Risk and the Belgian Climate Coalition joined firefighters from 20 European countries as they protested in Brussels for more resources, personnel and training to deal with the impacts of the climate crisis.
One thousand firefighters marched in uniform, flanked by fire engines and other emergency vehicles, to the site of the European Civil Protection Forum where EU Commissioner Hadja Lahbib was speaking. The firefighters are calling for more EU and government support for the emergency services, and for an end to the deregulation of nature laws which is worsening the climate-driven wildfires and flooding they face in their work.
**Photos of the protest free for media to use available here**
The green groups joined the firefighters’ protest in solidarity, and Greenpeace Belgium climbers hung a huge banner above the route of the march reading ‘We won’t forget’, with pictures from last summer’s wild-fires.
Thomas Gelin, Greenpeace EU climate campaigner said: “Climate-driven fires and floods, accelerated by oil and gas corporations, put firefighters and other emergency services on the front lines of the environmental crisis, and pose more dangers to them as they protect people’s lives and homes. Budget cuts undermine firefighters’ ability to do this job safely and effectively – governments and the EU must guarantee them the staffing, training, equipment and resources they need. Taxing the massive profits that oil and gas companies make fueling the climate crisis would free up funding for the first responders dealing directly with the consequences. Rampant deregulation of the laws that protect nature will only make these climate disasters more frequent and more dangerous, putting ordinary people and emergency service workers at huge risk.”
Extreme heat killed an estimated 50,000 people in Europe’s cities this summer, according to new research, two-thirds of which can be attributed to human-induced climate change.
This summer also saw one of the worst wild-fire seasons Europe has recorded.
Jan Willem Goudriaan, general secretary of the European Federation of Public Sector Unions (EPSU), said: “European leaders cannot have it both ways. They cannot weaken the laws that protect nature, cut funding for public services and then praise firefighters as heroes when disaster strikes. It is firefighters and other public service workers who are left dealing with the consequences of these political choices. If Europe is serious about preparing for climate change, it must invest in protecting nature, wildfire prevention, strong public services and the workers who protect our communities.”
Contacts:
Thomas Gelin, Greenpeace EU climate campaigner: +32 473 57 04 46, [email protected]
Greenpeace EU press desk: +32 (0)2 274 1911, [email protected]
This press comment is also available on: www.greenpeace.eu
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Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning network that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace. We do not accept donations from governments, the EU, businesses or political parties. Greenpeace has over three million supporters, and 26 independent national and regional organisations with offices in more than 55 countries.
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