[EQ] Rising Temperatures, Rising Risks

Rising Temperatures, Rising Risks

 

Making development more sustainable will help address climate change

 

Mohan Munasinghe, Vice Chair of the Geneva-based Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and Chairman of Munasinghe Institute for Development (MIND).

Finance & Development - March 2008, Volume 45, Number 1

 

Available online at:  http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2008/03/munasinghe.htm

 

“……..Global warming is already taking its toll. In Darfur, where several hundred thousand people have died in recent years from the internal conflict, climate change has exacerbated water and land shortages (because of growing desertification), undermined agriculture, and fueled conflict over these scarce resources among the poor. On the opposite side of the globe, many Pacific islands (and the Maldives) that are often only centimeters above sea level are threatened with inundation by rising seas. In the distant north, melting of the sea ice is affecting polar wildlife and undermining the already precarious livelihoods of native peoples.

 

These grim harbingers of climate change underline the need to better understand the phenomenon and address the consequences….”

 

“…..In recent months, three developments—the release of the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report, the awarding of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize to the IPCC and Al Gore, and the December 2007 Bali conference of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change—have combined to raise the profile of climate change and helped to highlight the difficulties that policymakers face in coming to grips with this important challenge. Although there is a growing consensus worldwide on the need to take early action on climate change, important practical issues remain unresolved, including burden sharing and equity….”

 

Global Energy: Increasingly Unsustainable
Lorcan Lyons
A chart-based look at energy supply and consumption worldwide. If governments do not act to change consumption patterns, world energy demand is projected to grow by 55 percent during 2005-30.

 

Finance & Development is published quarterly in  English, French, Russian and Spanish—by the International Monetary Fund, IMF.

 

 

 *      *      *     *

This message from the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO/WHO, is part of an effort to disseminate
information Related to: Equity; Health inequality; Socioeconomic inequality in health; Socioeconomic
health differentials; Gender; Violence; Poverty; Health Economics; Health Legislation; Ethnicity; Ethics;
Information Technology - Virtual libraries; Research & Science issues.  [DD/ KMS Area]

“Materials provided in this electronic list are provided "as is". Unless expressly stated otherwise, the findings
and interpretations included in the Materials are those of the authors and not necessarily of The Pan American
Health Organization PAHO/WHO or its country members”.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PAHO/WHO Website: http://www.paho.org/

EQUITY List - Archives - Join/remove: http://listserv.paho.org/Archives/equidad.html

 

 

 

 

    IMPORTANT: This transmission is for use by the intended recipient and it may contain privileged, proprietary or confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient or a person responsible for delivering this transmission to the intended recipient, you may not disclose, copy or distribute this transmission or take any action in reliance on it. If you received this transmission in error, please notify us immediately by email to infosec@paho.org, and please dispose of and delete this transmission. Thank you.