Climate change is main barrier to development - United Nations

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Climate change and destruction of the environment are the biggest threats to improving wealth and happiness around the world, according to a major United Nations report.

The annual Human Development report from the UN found that on the whole most of the world has become wealthier, healthier and better educated over the last 20 years.

But this rapid development is in danger of reversing because of the rise of global temperatures, that could cause an increase in natural disasters, especially in the poor world where countries are ill-equipped to cope.

Highlighting the failure of last year's UN climate summit in Copenhagen, the report called for renewed efforts to make sure that talks in Cancun, Mexico next month can tackle global warming and protect the environment.

The Real Wealth of Nations report said that unsustainable patterns of consumption and production are the biggest challenge to ending poverty. For example the 2007 mud flow caused by natural gas drilling which forced thousands to flee their homes in Java, Indonesia.

And the problem will get worse with the world population expected to hit nine billion by 2050 and increasing demand from the developing world for meat, cars and other ‘carbon intensive’ goods.

Ultimately the growth in consumption and destruction of carbon sinks like rainforests fuel global temperature rise that could cause floods and droughts.

The UN said that on one estimate, the adverse effects of climate change on grain yields would push prices up, more than doubling the price of wheat. In a worst case scenario, the report added, by 2050 per capita consumption of cereals would fall by a fifth, leaving 25 million additional children malnourished, with South Asia the worst affected.

Unless more is done to reduce carbon emissions, the environment will become uninhabitable in many parts of the world, the report warned.

“The continuing reliance on fossil fuels is threatening irreparable damage to our environment and to the human development of future generations," said the report.

"These developments pose serious questions about the long run feasibility of the world's current production and consumption patterns."

Overall, the UN said poor countries had been closing the human development gap with rich countries over the past two decades, particularly in health and education. The countries reporting the slowest progress were those in sub-Saharan Africa struck by the HIV epidemic and parts of the former Soviet Union suffering increased adult mortality.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/8111082/Climate-change-is-main-barrier-to-development-United-Nations.html

reader comments:

Dearest Louise,

I think there's a small mis-print in your headline and opening statement.

It should read:

Excessive and oppressive government is main barrier to development - general public

Governmental and supranational bodies are the biggest threats to improving wealth and happiness around the world, according to the general public who have to live with the consequences of their increasingly bizarre and illogical diktats.

Other than that, keep up the good work!

(Because if nothing else, your daily regurgitation of the latest WWF, FoTE, or UN "report" or press release does more harm to their cause than good.)

[Obama 2012 1,714]

These people are nucking futs......

There's lunacy and then there's just outright being a dumb #######. They take the cake on this one...

[luckytxn 2,264]

Keep beating a dead horse UN.

[tmma 467]

UN is about as effective as a chocolate fireguard.

[JohnSmith2007 353]

These people are nucking futs......

There's lunacy and then there's just outright being a dumb #######. They take the cake on this one...

This one is choice as well.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/281500-un-human-rights-council-to-take-aim-at-new-target-united-states/

China, Cuba, Libya and SA are taking aim at us for civil rights abuses. Isn't that rich?

[JohnSmith2007 353]

Here is the real reason the UN is pushing the fake GW scare tacticts:

UN calls for higher taxes to combat climate warning

Nov 5 10:22 AM US/Eastern

A top UN panel on Friday called for increased taxes on carbon emissions and international transport to raise 100 billion dollars a year to combat climate change.

The group led by the prime ministers of Norway and Ethiopia also said there could be a tax on international financial transactions

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.65d35f849629004f3f01ff977b2a3e33.741&show_article=1

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

A crippling tax must be imposed to save the planet. We have no other choice.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

A crippling tax must be imposed to save the planet. We have no other choice.

With liberalism even 1 person causing a problem deserves a new law and a new tax.

Someone gets food poisoning at a business? Shut it down, rape them for money, rape their families for money, and then send them to prison.....

It's complete lunacy.

[luckytxn 2,264]

the UN would love to be able to have even more money to misappropriate and enrich themselves from what a world tax would give them.

[lostinblue 1,989]

With liberalism even 1 person causing a problem deserves a new law and a new tax.

Someone gets food poisoning at a business? Shut it down, rape them for money, rape their families for money, and then send them to prison.....

It's complete lunacy.

make a lawyer rich

[one...two...tree 2,762]

A crippling tax must be imposed to save the planet. We have no other choice.

Is the Heritage Foundation now a scientific body studying the climate? Try finding an actual body of science that studies climate which supports such an argument? (Hint: you won't find any.....because, either you and Heritage are wrong or there's a massive worldwide conspiracy. Logic 101)

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Is the Heritage Foundation now a scientific body studying the climate? Try finding an actual body of science that studies climate which supports such an argument? (Hint: you won't find any.....because, either you and Heritage are wrong or there's a massive worldwide conspiracy. Logic 101)

I vote for the conspiracy.

http://www.ncpa.org/pdfs/GlobalWarmingPrimer.pdf

Edited November 5, 2010 by ##########

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Is the Heritage Foundation now a scientific body studying the climate? Try finding an actual body of science that studies climate which supports such an argument? (Hint: you won't find any.....because, either you and Heritage are wrong or there's a massive worldwide conspiracy. Logic 101)

you mean bodies of science that you 'approve' of.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

you mean bodies of science that you 'approve' of.

There aren't any bodies of science that have concluded contrary to the fact that CO2 emissions are warming the planet. You'd be better off jumping on the conspiracy bandwagon with Bill than to even challenge me on this one.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Not any more! With the $$$ tap turned off Climate change will disappear