UK, Spanish foreign ministers urge to cut fossil fuel dependence in wake of wildfires

Britain’s newly appointed foreign secretary Ed Miliband and his Spanish counterpart José Manuel Albares Bueno met in Madrid this week. Set against the backdrop of devastating wildfires in Europe, the two have released a joint statement calling for channelling investment into the energy transition and reducing fossil fuel dependence.

NZI Transition and Climate Investment Conference | 22 October | London | Register here

In addition, the two ministers also framed climate change as a national security emergency.

In a joint statement published today, the ministers reaffirmed the urgent policy focus both governments have placed on climate change.

“At a time when Europe is facing record heatwaves and terrible wildfires as a consequence of the climate crisis”, the statement reads, “the two Ministers agreed that this summer’s wildfires demonstrated that climate change was now a national security emergency facing Europe and threatening our way of life”.

The two also stressed the centrality of climate change to their respective foreign policy agendas and domestic economic competitiveness. The statement calls for ‘drastically’ reducing fossil fuel dependence alongside strengthening international clean energy cooperation and recognising the value of scientific evidence.

The ministers go on to stress the role of financial institutions in delivering that agenda. ‘The two ministers underline the need to mobilise sustainable financing at scale with the challenge we face’, the statement reads.

The statement links climate action to energy security, cost of living and public health. As a consequence, the ministers write, “climate action was essential to protect not just current generations, but our children and grandchildren too”.