UN Says Climate Change Threatens World Security (Agence France Presse)

Created by : Francis Goodwin View profile

July 21, 2011 (Agence France Presse) -- Climate change could exponentially increase the scale of natural disasters while at the same time threatening world security, a senior UN official told the UN Security Council Wednesday.

Though science cannot yet explain all the reasons behind global warming, "a changing climate is a reality," and one that effects all sectors of society, said Achim Steiner, director of the UN Environment Program.

Steiner cited a worst-case scenario prediction that temperatures will rise 4 degree Celsius by 2060 while the sea level will rise one meter over the next century.

There are myriad threats already and their numbers will rise, he said, noting droughts like the one currently afflicting Somalia, floods such as the ones that hit Pakistan, and their implications on the food markets.

"The scale of the the natural disasters will increase exponentially," he added.