A resident who owns a child passes by the remains of damaged houses after Hurricane Iota landed on the island of Providencia, Colombia, on Saturday, November 21, 2020.
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Climate change is the “worst threat” to global peace and security, the UN Security Council said on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to warn the UN Security Council that if the global community does not take “urgent action to combat climate change, the world risks exacerbating conflict, displacement and insecurity,” the government said in a statement.
The United Kingdom currently holds a one-month presidency of the Council, which is responsible for ensuring international peace and security. It is permanent members are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the USA Johnson will address the group at 13.30, London time.
Prior to the session, Johnson said the Council “is tasked with tackling the worst threats to global peace and security, and that is exactly what climate change is … From weather-torn communities and extreme famines to warlords who value war for resources – a warming planet leads to insecurity “.
He added that “unlike many issues the Council is dealing with, this is one we know exactly how to address” and that by helping vulnerable countries adapt to climate change and reducing global emissions to zero, “we will protect not only the abundant biodiversity of our planet, but its prosperity and security. “
Well-known naturalist and TV personality David Attenborough will also address the Council on Tuesday. He said in a statement released Monday that “if we reduce emissions with enough force, we can still avoid turning points that will make fleeting climate change unstoppable.
He said the upcoming UN climate change meeting, known as COP26 in Glasgow in November, could be “the last chance to make the necessary changes”.
“If we look objectively at climate change and the loss of nature as global security threats – as they are – then we can still act proportionately and over time,” he said.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Sudanese climate activist Nisreen Elsaim will also brief the Security Council live on Tuesday.
Briefing before the session, the United Kingdom noted that “the impact of climate change is already being felt around the world, with the effects of rising temperatures and extreme weather forcing population movements and creating competition for increasingly scarce natural resources. Of the 20 countries ranked most vulnerable to rising global temperatures, 12 are already in conflict. “
For its part, the UK is committed by law to achieving zero net emissions by 2050 and is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 68% by 2030 – the strongest reduction of any major economy.
Along with the permanent members of the UN Security Council, there are 10 non-permanent members elected for two-year terms. These members are currently Estonia, India, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico, Niger, Norway, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Tunisia and Vietnam.
Global efforts to combat climate change are among the priorities of the international community, although environmental experts fear it is too late to tackle the problem.
The United States is the world’s second largest emitter of greenhouse gases behind China. Under the administration of President Joe Biden, the country has officially acceded to the Paris climate agreement, an important pact between nations to reduce carbon emissions after remaining under former President Donald Trump.