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Amnesty International Director Speaks out About Wildfire Risks
Marta Schaaf, the Director of Climate, Economic and Social Justice, and Corporate Accountability Programme at Amnesty International, has voiced her concern over the risks posed by more than 400 wildfires that are currently burning across Canada. The smoke from these wildfires has travelled vast distances and has shrouded some of North America’s biggest cities, including Montréal, Toronto, and New York, in smog that poses a significant threat to the health of the millions of people currently forced to breathe it in.
Health Risks of Wildfire Smoke
The small particulate matter emitted by these fires, which can be carried over significant distances, can have a serious impact on the health of certain groups of people. Children, pregnant women, older adults, and people with heart or lung disease are particularly vulnerable to the effects of wildfire smoke. Furthermore, the fires are having a significant impact on indigenous peoples, with communities like Fort Chipewyan in Alberta and Uashat mak Mani-utenam in Quebec being evacuated.
Connection to Climate Change
Climate change is exacerbating the scale of wildfires worldwide, as rising temperatures are leading to longer and more destructive fire seasons. This year has already seen unusually severe wildfires in Russia, Spain, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and Central America, according to Copernicus, the EU’s earth observation monitoring program. Additionally, large-scale wildfires aggravate climate change by burning forests that have locked-in large amounts of carbon.
Fossil Fuels and the Climate Crisis
Schaaf addresses the “clear disconnect” between the harm that people are facing due to wildfires and attempts to prolong and expand the production of fossil fuels, which are the primary cause of the climate crisis. Greenhouse gas emissions have already increased global temperatures by 1.2 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels. Unless there is a rapid phase-out of fossil fuels, the world will continue to grow hotter, and events like these wildfires will worsen.
Conclusion and Advice
In order to tackle global warming and its devastating impacts, international governmental bodies must prioritize shifting away from fossil fuel usage, focusing instead on investing in renewable energy sources. Whether or not these measures are taken, the effects of climate change will drastically impact our world: citizens must remain vigilant when it comes to wildfire smoke and its potential health risks by listening to recommendations from health officials until such outcomes are remedied.
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