UN experts warn warming will hurt society and nature

A Mail & Guardian Online report notes that more than 100 nations in the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) approved the text of the report after disputes in which some scientists accused government delegates of watering down their findings in a draft 21-page summary for policymakers. The IPCC report will guide policy in coming years on issues such as extending the UN’s Kyoto Protocol beyond 2012. Overall, the report is the bleakest UN assessment yet of the threat of climate change. It says human greenhouse gas emissions, mostly from burning fossil fuels, are ‘very likely’ to be the main cause of warming. ‘The whole of climate change is something actually here and now rather than something for the future,’ said Neil Adger, a British lead author of the report. Full Mail & Guardian Online report

The report says that damage to the Earth’s weather systems from greenhouse gases will change rainfall patterns, increase the power of storms and boost the risk of drought, flooding and stress on water supplies, reports The Citizen. IPCC chairperson Rajendra Pachauri said that poor people were the most vulnerable and would be the worst hit. Draft versions of this summary were fiercely disputed during a week of tense negotiations, ending with a marathon 24-hour session. Publication was delayed after the US, China and Saudi Arabia objected to tough wording that sparked from one delegate a charge of political interference, sources said. Full report in The Citizen

Even if dramatic measures are taken to reduce the CO2 emissions that drive warming, temperatures will continue to climb for decades to come, notes a report on the News24 site. By 2080, according to the IPCC report, it is likely that 1.1 to 3.2bn people worldwide will experience water scarcity, 200m to 600m will be threatened by hunger and each year an additional 2-7m will be victims of coastal flooding. The report warns that the brunt of the problems will fall squarely onto the world\'s poorest inhabitants, who are least to blame for the fossil-fuel pollution that drives global warming. Full report on the News24 site

SA’s concerns were outlined by Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism Marthinus van Schalkwyk, who said not only should the emission of greenhouse gases be prevented, but adapting to climate change must also be prioritised. According to a report on the [2]Mail & Guardian Online site, Van Schalkwyk said the review deals a blow to climate sceptics and is a clarion call to ensure a legacy for future generations. He called on nations like the US – which has historically contributed most to this problem – to shoulder their responsibility to lead in combating climate change and to assist vulnerable developing countries to adapt to and deal with the devastating effects.Full Mail & Guardian Online reporthttp://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=304177&area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__national

Greenpeace has described the report as ‘shocking’ and warned that time had almost run out to prevent the ‘nightmare vision’ presented by the experts from becoming reality, according to a report on EarthTimes. Governments now had to act or ‘there will soon be nowhere to run and nowhere to hide,’ added said Stephanie Tunmore, Greenpeace International Climate and Energy Campaigner. However, there was still time for an ‘energy revolution’ to create a carbon-free economy which could keep global average temperature increases well below the two centigrade level at which the IPCC predicts catastrophic effects, said the group. Full report on EarthTimes

The EU has accused the US and Australia of hampering international efforts to tackle climate change. Efforts to launch negotiations to extend the UN Kyoto Protocol on climate change beyond 2012 have floundered as nations resist committing to targets for cutting greenhouse gases, according to a SABC News report. European Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas pointedly characterised the US as the ‘number one emitter’ of fossil-fuel pollution in the world. And he accused Australia of having ‘a negative attitude on international negotiations’ and of rejecting the UN\'s emissions-cutting pact on the grounds of politics rather than economics, reports the Cape Argus. ‘I can really not understand why Australia has not ratified Kyoto. If you ratify Kyoto it will cost you one third of what it costs you now ... it\'s purely political’. Full report on the SABC News site Full Cape Argus report IPCC report summary