Rhodes wildfires are a reminder of dangers of climate change - The Yorkshire Post says

Climate change is going to affect everyone, regardless of where they live. That is being shown by the evacuation of thousands of people on the Greek Island of Rhodes.

Amongst those on the island, which is popular with holidaymakers, are many British tourists.

The immediate priority is for the authorities to make sure everyone is safe as wildfires sweep across the island.

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The British Government needs to liaise closely with the Greek authorities and ensure Brits are not left stranded as they look to return home to safety.

A firefighting helicopter flies over a beach during a forest fire on the island of Rhodes, Greece, Saturday, July 22, 2023. PIC: Argyris Mantikos/Eurokinissi via APA firefighting helicopter flies over a beach during a forest fire on the island of Rhodes, Greece, Saturday, July 22, 2023. PIC: Argyris Mantikos/Eurokinissi via AP
A firefighting helicopter flies over a beach during a forest fire on the island of Rhodes, Greece, Saturday, July 22, 2023. PIC: Argyris Mantikos/Eurokinissi via AP

It is also right for the tourism industry to take proper measures to ensure that people aren’t being flown into danger. And those that are there already are returned in a timely manner.

But this is the issue when it comes to climate change. It will impact everyone in one way or another.

The assumption is that Britain is immune from extreme weather patterns. That is also the assumption for vast parts of mainland Europe. However, as continental Europe, which is in the grip of a severe heatwave, is finding and as Britain found last summer, no one is immune from the impact of climate change. It’s easy to dismiss these events as one-off, especially as Britain has had a relatively cool and wet summer. But people mustn’t forget that last summer firefighters were stretched to the limit in this country. And there is still time in the summer for Britain to also face challenges from a heatwave.

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What is abundantly clear is that climate change doesn’t just impact lives in far flung, distant places that bear little relation to the lives of those living in places like Yorkshire.

That is why the Government would be foolish to abandon climate policies on the misguided belief that it would be a vote winner.