More than 50 environmental and civil society organizations have called on Prime Minister Andy Burnham to break his silence on climate change as the United Kingdom experiences severe weather extremes. The groups, including Greenpeace, WWF, Friends of the Earth, and the Women’s Institute, wrote to the prime minister this week expressing concern about his failure to acknowledge the connection between the climate crisis and the extreme conditions currently affecting the country.
The letter was prompted by Burnham’s recent response to a crisis meeting held to address the impacts of the ongoing heatwave and drought. Although the prime minister convened a Cobra meeting to discuss the situation, his subsequent statement focused on banning disposable barbecues rather than addressing underlying causes or broader climate concerns. The organizations stressed that without naming climate change as a driver of these conditions, the government cannot adequately prepare citizens for necessary adaptations or develop effective strategies to reduce carbon emissions.
The contrast between Burnham’s current position and his previous record has drawn particular attention. As mayor of Greater Manchester, Burnham made several strong public statements about the climate crisis and backed an international fossil fuel treaty. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband has also recently posted a video on social media linking the extreme weather directly to climate change and describing it as a national security matter requiring urgent government action.
The letter from climate organizations arrives amid an important policy decision facing the government regarding new fossil fuel extraction in the North Sea. Proposed drilling at the Jackdaw gas field and Rosebank oil field is being viewed as a test of the government’s commitment to climate policy. Campaign groups have urged Burnham to reject these new projects, arguing that expanded drilling will worsen climate impacts and perpetuate extreme weather events. The prime minister’s office has not yet responded to the letter.
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