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U.N. climate talks in key phase in Canada
Environment ministers from around the world have gathered in Montreal for U.N. climate talks that are entering a key phase.
December 7, 2005
At issue is what nations will do after the Kyoto Protocol expires in
2012, the BBC reported. The United States has, so far, blocked moves to
limit carbon emissions.
The United States is not a signatory to the Kyoto Protocol, fearing its
implementation could harm development and economic growth.
Canadian Environment Minister Stephane Dion has proposed a wider
discussion of what various nations might be prepared to do. Although the
response was generally favorable, the BBC noted the United States, India
and some of the world's major oil producing nations do not seem to be in
favor of the proposal.
A leading U.S. climatologist, James Hansen, has warned just 2 degrees
Fahrenheit more of worldwide warming would produce climate patterns the
Earth has not experienced for more than 500,000 years, the BBC said.
Hansen, addressing the American Geophysical Union's fall meeting this
week in San Francisco, estimated the world has one decade to effectively
stop global warming.
United Press International
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Extreme Weather: Climate change will increase the potency of storms, floods, droughts and other weather disasters as explored here. |
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Water Impacts: Climate change will seriously affect water resources around the world, which will in turn affect food supply, health, industry, transportation, and ecosystem integrity. |
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Forest Impacts: Our forests are expected to be among the most vulnerable in the world to climate change. |
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Imperilled Ecosystems: Ecosystems around the world will be damaged by climate change. This section examines some of the most vulnerable systems. |
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Global Meltdown: Alpine glaciers, arctic ecosystems and ice sheets are all at risk of succumbing to climate change, with global impacts |
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Health: Climate change threatens the health of future generations through increased disease, freshwater shortages, worsened smog, and more. |
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Economic Risks: Rapid climate change poses incalculable economic risks for the future, which far outweigh the economic risks of taking action today. |
| with thanks to DavidSuzuki.org | |
