CLIMATE CHANGE:
POOR SUFFER AS WORLD GETS HOTTER
BRUSSELS (BELGIUM) APRIL 6, 2007 - Friends of the Earth
International has demanded steep emissions cuts by all rich
countries and more funding for climate change adaptation in
developing countries, after the world's leading scientific experts
today warned that the world's poor - who have done least to
pollute the atmosphere - will suffer most as the planet heats up.
Despite the negligible historical emissions of greenhouse gases by
the least developed countries, their people will bear the brunt of
climate change, as they are the most vulnerable to the impacts and
least able to adapt.
This is the message of the United Nation's Intergovernmental Panel
on Climate Change (IPCC), which addresses climate impacts,
adaptation and vulnerability. [1]
The report - the second of a series based on the latest scientific
literature - has taken six years to compile and draws on research
by 2,500 scientists from over 130 countries. It should shock the
world into taking urgent action to reduce global emissions.
Friends of the Earth International's Climate Campaigner, Catherine
Pearce, said:
This report confirms that the scientific findings are stronger
than ever. World leaders have overwhelming evidence that urgent
action must be taken to cut emissions of greenhouse gases.
"It is now clear that we are to blame for the last 50 years of
warming, and this is already causing adverse changes to our
planet. Unless we take action to reduce emissions now, far worse
is yet to come, condemning millions in the poorest parts of the
world to loss of lives, livelihoods and homes. Climate change is
no longer just an environmental issue.
" It is a looming humanitarian catastrophe, threatening
ultimately our global security and survival. Industrialised
countries, including the USA, which have all done most to
contribute to climate change, must lead the way by making
significant cuts in their greenhouse gas emissions. Current
efforts on and resources for adaptation, including available funds
from the industrialized world, are clearly inadequate to meet the
scale of what is required. Urgent assistance is needed for
developing countries, which have done nothing to contribute to the
current threat of climate change and who are already facing the
devastating effects, Friends of the Earth International's Climate
Campaigner Catherine Pearce added.
Findings of the report include:
- Projected climate change is likely to affect millions of already
vulnerable people. Heat waves, floods, storm, fires and droughts
will cause increased deaths and harm.
- Many million more people are projected to be at risk from
coastal flooding due to sea level rise, especially in densely
populated and low-lying settlements which already face other
challenges, such as tropical storms.
- Roughly 20-30% of those species assessed so far are likely to be
at high risk of irreversible extinction if global average
temperature exceeds 1.5 - 2.5°C. Global average temperature has
already increased by about 0.7 °C since pre-industrial levels.
- Glacial retreat in the Himalayas will disrupt water supplies.
Friends of the Earth International warns that this will have
implications for billions of people across India, China, Nepal and
Bhutan.
- By 2020, 75-250 million people in Africa will be exposed to
water scarcity due to climate change.
- In some African countries, yields from rain-fed agriculture
could be reduced by 50% over the same period
- Over the next half century, climate change could impede the
achievement of the U.N. Millennium Development Goals
International has demanded steep emissions cuts by all rich
countries and more funding for climate change adaptation in
developing countries, after the world's leading scientific experts
today warned that the world's poor - who have done least to
pollute the atmosphere - will suffer most as the planet heats up.
Despite the negligible historical emissions of greenhouse gases by
the least developed countries, their people will bear the brunt of
climate change, as they are the most vulnerable to the impacts and
least able to adapt.
This is the message of the United Nation's Intergovernmental Panel
on Climate Change (IPCC), which addresses climate impacts,
adaptation and vulnerability. [1]
The report - the second of a series based on the latest scientific
literature - has taken six years to compile and draws on research
by 2,500 scientists from over 130 countries. It should shock the
world into taking urgent action to reduce global emissions.
Friends of the Earth International's Climate Campaigner, Catherine
Pearce, said:
This report confirms that the scientific findings are stronger
than ever. World leaders have overwhelming evidence that urgent
action must be taken to cut emissions of greenhouse gases.
"It is now clear that we are to blame for the last 50 years of
warming, and this is already causing adverse changes to our
planet. Unless we take action to reduce emissions now, far worse
is yet to come, condemning millions in the poorest parts of the
world to loss of lives, livelihoods and homes. Climate change is
no longer just an environmental issue.
" It is a looming humanitarian catastrophe, threatening
ultimately our global security and survival. Industrialised
countries, including the USA, which have all done most to
contribute to climate change, must lead the way by making
significant cuts in their greenhouse gas emissions. Current
efforts on and resources for adaptation, including available funds
from the industrialized world, are clearly inadequate to meet the
scale of what is required. Urgent assistance is needed for
developing countries, which have done nothing to contribute to the
current threat of climate change and who are already facing the
devastating effects, Friends of the Earth International's Climate
Campaigner Catherine Pearce added.
Findings of the report include:
- Projected climate change is likely to affect millions of already
vulnerable people. Heat waves, floods, storm, fires and droughts
will cause increased deaths and harm.
- Many million more people are projected to be at risk from
coastal flooding due to sea level rise, especially in densely
populated and low-lying settlements which already face other
challenges, such as tropical storms.
- Roughly 20-30% of those species assessed so far are likely to be
at high risk of irreversible extinction if global average
temperature exceeds 1.5 - 2.5°C. Global average temperature has
already increased by about 0.7 °C since pre-industrial levels.
- Glacial retreat in the Himalayas will disrupt water supplies.
Friends of the Earth International warns that this will have
implications for billions of people across India, China, Nepal and
Bhutan.
- By 2020, 75-250 million people in Africa will be exposed to
water scarcity due to climate change.
- In some African countries, yields from rain-fed agriculture
could be reduced by 50% over the same period
- Over the next half century, climate change could impede the
achievement of the U.N. Millennium Development Goals
Courtesy: Friend of the Earth International
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