The Green Party has called on the Minister for Climate Action Dennis Naughten TD to show leadership in the face of more weather-related disasters worldwide.The Green Party's Councillor Ciarán Cuffe said today:“Drought conditions in Ireland, fires in the Wicklow mountains and at Curracloe Beach are just a foretaste of future climate-related disasters. Our Climate Minister must wake up and smell the smoke from these extreme weather events that underpin the need for urgent action and leadership from Ireland to tackle climate change. “In recent days we have seen the highest temperature ever recorded in Africa; wildfires killing almost one hundred people in Greece; hundreds missing as a Laos dam collapses after heavy rainfall and Japan declaring their heatwave a natural disaster. It is time to realise the connection between all these events and climate change.“Minister Naughten must show leadership to the European Union and introduce measures that will reduce Ireland's emissions. These include higher building standards, incentives for home electricity generation; a cap on national herd numbers; support for public transport; and affordable housing that doesn't encourage long-distance car commuting.“He cannot stand idly by. He must face up to the reality of a changing climate and introduce further measures to reduce Ireland's emissions.”ENDSIssued and uploaded 24th July 2018