More than 50 environmental and civil society organizations have issued a public letter to Prime Minister Andy Burnham, criticizing his lack of public statements regarding the climate crisis amid severe weather conditions affecting the United Kingdom. The country is currently experiencing its fifth heatwave of the year, alongside widespread droughts and wildfires that have also impacted other European nations. The signatories, including prominent groups such as Greenpeace, WWF, and Friends of the Earth, argue that without explicitly addressing climate change as the root cause of these extreme conditions, the government cannot adequately prepare the nation for necessary adaptations or implement effective carbon reduction strategies.
The letter, dated Friday, was coordinated by Hannah Martin of Green New Deal Rising and emphasizes that the extreme heat is creating significant economic disruption, including school closures, disrupted regional transportation, and strain on the national health service. The organizations point out that while Burnham held a Cobra meeting this week to address the heatwave and drought crisis, his subsequent public statement focused on disposable barbecues without mentioning climate change. Martin stated that failing to name the problem undermines public confidence in the government’s ability to develop solutions.
The letter contrasts Burnham’s current silence with his previous positions as Mayor of Greater Manchester, when he made strong statements about the climate crisis and backed a proposed international fossil fuel treaty calling it a “lifeline.” The organizations call on him to demonstrate the same clarity in his current role as prime minister. Meanwhile, newly appointed Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband has publicly addressed the climate crisis through social media, linking it to current extreme weather conditions and characterizing it as a national security issue requiring urgent government action.
The timing of the letter coincides with an upcoming government decision regarding new fossil fuel extraction projects in the North Sea, specifically the Jackdaw and Rosebank developments. Environmental groups view this decision as a critical test of the government’s climate commitments, with officials from organizations like Uplift calling for the projects to be rejected to prevent further environmental damage and weather extremes.
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