The official title is "UN Panel Gives Dire Warming Forecast" - but my title works too. Actually, UN to China/United States - DO SOMETHING! might be more appropriate.
The second paragraph of the article sums it up best:
"As early as 2020, 75 million to 250 million people in Africa will suffer water shortages, residents of Asia's megacities will be at great risk of river and coastal flooding, Europeans can expect extensive species loss, and North Americans will experience longer and hotter heat waves and greater competition for water."
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said climate change is "so severe and so sweeping that only urgent, global action will do."
So, what can we do? Well, China and the United States can start to lead the way, seeing as they are the number 1 and 2 contributors of carbon emissions. "The report says emissions of carbon, which comes primarily from fossil fuels, must stabilize by 2015 and go down after that."
Lastly, the UN said "Unless action is taken, human activity could lead to "abrupt and irreversible changes" that would make the planet unrecognizable."
Hate to say it, but isn't the planet already unrecognizable from just a few years ago?
Saturday, November 17, 2007
UN to World - Look out!
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3 comments:
Hey Greg, thanks for posting about the release of the IPCC synthesis report. Do you think more people will read it and realize its significance and integrity since the IPCC won the Nobel Peace Prize?
I have noticed that this report was more publicized in the general media. Maybe the Nobel has helped.
Wishing all at OurTask a good Thanksgiving.
http://www.worldwatch.org/node/5497
The World Watch Institute recently reported that China is on target to increase the percentage of their renewable energy to 20% by 2020. That's hopeful! But considering the IPCC's conclusions, China needs to do even more. But if they are already on track to achieve 20%, maybe some political and grass-roots pressure can push them to do more.
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