Climate change: UN report is a 'frightening wake-up call'

A major report from the United Nations warning about the effects of climate change should act as a "frightening wake-up call", Northern Ireland's infrastructure minister has said.

Nichola Mallon was reacting to the study warning of increasingly extreme heatwaves, droughts and flooding.

The report "is a code red for humanity", the UN has said.

Climate change legislation is being progressed at Stormont but is not yet in place.

Ms Mallon said she would raise the climate change report at Thursday's meeting of executive ministers.

"We all rallied as a society to deal with the Covid crisis," Ms Mallon said.

"We need to show the same urgency in terms of tackling the climate crisis.

"That means getting legislation through the assembly with ambitious targets."

• Climate report is 'code red for humanity'

• Second climate bill given green light by executive

• Mass evacuations as wildfires spread across Greece

Ms Mallon, the minister in charge of transport for Northern Ireland, said it was important to "accelerate choice" for people around sustainable travel options.

Agriculture Minster Edwin Poots, whose portfolio includes the environment, said the report "reflected the urgency" with which his own department was responding to the risk of climate change.

The DUP party leader added: "Anything we do must be informed by evidence and science and have the dual goals of protecting our environment and ensuring that we have a successful economy in the future.

'Devastating lives'

"That includes ensuring that our food production processes are both environmentally sound and sustainable.

"We are all moving in the same direction. I've already advanced a number of substantial strategies that will help us achieve our common goals."

Philip McGuigan, Sinn Féin's environment spokesman, said climate change was no longer something to fear in the future but "devastating lives now".

"Today's report is a stark reminder of just how serious a situation we are facing," he said.

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