‘All-encompassing’ climate change threat must be taken seriously: UN

Climate change must be taken as seriously as the issues that have traditionally monopolized first-order political attention such as conflict, poverty and the proliferation of deadly weapons, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan told a UN conference on the issue in Nairobi earlier this week.

“Instead of being economically defensive, let us start being more politically courageous,” he said. “The Nairobi conference must send a clear, credible signal that the world’s political leaders take climate change seriously. The question is not whether climate change is happening, but whether, in the face of this emergency, we ourselves can change fast enough.”

Mr. Annan said climate change is not just an environmental issue, but is “an all-encompassing threat.” He cited growing threats posed by climate change to human health, the global food supply, to communities facing inundation due to rising sea-level, and as a threat to peace and security.

“A few diehard sceptics continue trying to sow doubt. They should be seen for what they are: out of step, out of arguments and out of time. In fact, the scientific consensus is becoming not only more complete, but also more alarming. Many scientists long known for their caution are now saying that global warming trends are perilously close to a point of no return.”

Economists, he added, are also warning about the cost of climate change, citing the recently released study by Nicholas Stern of the United Kingdom, who warned that climate change could shrink the global economy by 20 per cent, and cause economic and social disruption on a par with the two World Wars and the Great Depression.

Mr. Annan said that responding to climate change would be cost-effective. “Low emissions need not mean low growth, or stifling a country’s development aspirations,” he said, stressing that “it will cost far less to cut emissions now than to deal with the consequences later.”

He called for more research and development, saying current levels “are woefully, dangerously low,” and for more “green” approaches to meet surging energy demand. And he stressed the need to help people to adapt to global warming and its effects.

More than 100 government ministers and 6,000 participants attended the conference in Nairobi, where discussions took place on efforts to support adaptation to climate change, as well as to discuss future commitments to reduce climate-change-causing greenhouse gas emissions after the 2012 expiration of the Kyoto Protocol, which contains binding emissions targets.

Related feature: Will climate change mitigation see the convergence of business continuity and business sustainability planning?

•Date: 16th Nov 2006• Region: World •Type: Article •Topic: BC general
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