Sinn Féin Spokesperson for Environment and Climate Change in the north, Philip McGuigan has said the impact on Climate Change already being felt across the world emphasises the need for urgent and ambitious legislation to ensure we move to a sustainable society.

Speaking after the stark warnings on global warming in the report published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) today Mr McGuigan said:

“The warning contained in today’s IPCC report that global warming is taking place at a much greater pace than previously thought should be deeply concerning for governments around the world.

“This summer alone has seen record-breaking temperatures followed by the worst flooding in years just a fortnight later.

“Wildfires are raging in Greece where soaring temperatures making it extremely difficult to get them under control and we have seen this elsewhere in recent years.

“Climate Change is no longer something to fear in the future – this is devastating lives now, and today’s report is a stark reminder of just how serious a situation we are facing.

“As far back as January 2020, my Sinn Féin colleagues Caoimhe Archibald, Declan McAleer and I brought forward a motion declaring a climate emergency and calling for a Climate Change Act which won the support of the Assembly.

“It must now be a priority of all parties to deliver a Climate Change Act for the north within the remainder of this mandate.”