MPs call for immediate action against climate change; “Code red for humanity”

MPs from D66, Groenlinks and Partij voor de Dieren called for concrete action to be taken against climate change. A report released by the UN climate panel IPCC on Monday said rising sea levels caused by global warming are irreversible.

Climate change means that the Netherlands which was described by sea-level change scientist Aimee Slangen as “an emptied out bathtub with water rising higher and higher at the edges” will experience flooding every two to ten years.

“It is code red for humanity, the UN climate panel states. We are the last generation of politicians who can protect our way of life”, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sigrid Kaag tweeted. The minister said the time to act is “now or never”.

Partij voor de Dieren MP Estner Ouwehand agreed with Kaag on Twitter. “Valuable decades have been wasted. Now the world is experiencing the consequences of climate change. Heatwaves, drought, forest fires, heavy rainfall and flooding. If we don’t act now, it will only get worse”, Ouwehand wrote.

"Climate change is not an opinion but a life-threatening reality", Chirstenunie MP Gert-Jan Segers said in response to the IPCC report.

Groen Links MP Jesse Klaver said the Netherlands needs to take a leading position in the fight against climate change. “Governments stick to their approach that the climate crisis does not have urgency. Irresponsible”, Klaver said. PvdA MP Joris Thijssen seconded that stating, "It is time for leadership. Stop lingering."

Chairman of the PVV Geert Wilders did not react to the climate report. Instead, he retweeted Kaag’s response and replaced the call for action against climate change with a plea for less Islam in the Netherlands. “The PVV wants action. Quick implementation of immigration policy without the EU and a leading position for the Netherlands. Close the borders and less Islam.”