Paul Brown and Peter Capella in Geneva
Tuesday February 20, 2001
The Guardian
Impacts of climate change will be far worse than previously thought and beyond
the capacity of mankind to adapt unless greenhouse gas emissions are cut
substantially, 700 scientists say in a report published yesterday.
Loss of food crops, disappearance of fisheries, melting of glaciers which
provide millions of people with summer water supply, and a rise in sea levels
will cause massive economic disruption and migration, it says.
The Arctic, which is already known to be suffering ice loss, could be
completely ice-free in summer and the melting giant icecap on Greenland may
cause faster sea level rise than previously thought.
Africa will be worst hit, forcing people off the land in ever greater numbers,
and creating the possibility of millions of people migrating to survive.
Europe, where rainfall will be plentiful - so much so that it will cause
regular flooding of the type seen this winter in Britain - will increasingly
be seen as the promised land for people in Africa and the Middle East.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report is intended to guide
politicians on problems they face as temperatures rise. Yesterday's
assessments mean the world is heading for disasters on an unprecedented scale.
"Climate change, amongst other issues, threatens basic human needs of food
clean water and a healthy environment," said Robert Watson, co-chairman of the
report.
James MacCarthy, the second co-chairman, said some some temperate countries
might gain because of increased crops and faster tree growth, but others would
lose.
Scientists have documented links between climate change and impacts in over
420 habitats. Already alpine plants in Europe are moving between three and
12ft higher each decade.
Africa was "highly vulnerable", with climate change affecting water resources
and food production, expanding deserts and causing more frequent outbreaks of
diseases such as cholera. Glaciers in the mountain ranges of tropical regions
were also threatened.
Himalayan glaciers, for example, are the main source of water for the Ganges
and Indus on which 500m people depend. If they disappear, so does the summer
water supply. John Prescott, deputy prime minister, who took part in the
failed climate talks at the Hague last November, said every effort must be
made to restart the negotiations and begin cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
"The new report shows that we risk major irreversible changes unless we
significantly cut emissions of greenhouse gases," he said.
"How much more evidence do we need before governments take real action to
tackle climate change?" asked Russell Marsh, WWF climate change campaigner.
"The UK government should take a lead at the G8 summit and use its special
relationship with the US to secure their participation in solutions to the
problem of climate change."
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