Greece creates climate crisis ministry after huge wildfires

By DEREK GATOPOULOS
Associated Press

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece’s center-right government has created a new ministry to address the impact of climate change. The government has named former European Union commissioner Christos Stylianides as minister. Stilianides served as commissioner for humanitarian aid and crisis management between 2014 and 2019. He was named to his job in the wake of massive wildfires that burned more than 1,000 square kilometers (385 square miles) of forest on the island of Evia and in southern Greece. A government spokesman said Monday that Stylianides is a Cypriot national and he will be awarded Greek citizenship before being sworn in Friday.