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Global warming causes 300,000 deaths a year, says Kofi Annan thinktank

What with the world occupied with and directing its attention to the North Koreans, the Middle East, Pakistan and seemingly still fascinated by Obama's every move, the critical issue of climate change, and its consequences, have slipped below the radar of late. It oughtn't, for ignoring it will have, and already has had, dire outcomes in many ways - as a Kofi Annan think tank has found.

The Guardian reports:

"Climate change is already responsible for 300,000 deaths a year and is affecting 300m people, according to the first comprehensive study of the human impact of global warming.

It projects that increasingly severe heatwaves, floods, storms and forest fires will be responsible for as many as 500,000 deaths a year by 2030, making it the greatest humanitarian challenge the world faces.

Economic losses due to climate change today amount to more than $125bn a year — more than all the present world aid. The report comes from former UN secretary general Kofi Annan's thinktank, the Global Humanitarian Forum. By 2030, the report says, climate change could cost $600bn a year.

Civil unrest may also increase because of weather-related events, the report says: "Four billion people are vulnerable now and 500m are now at extreme risk. Weather-related disasters ... bring hunger, disease, poverty and lost livelihoods. They pose a threat to social and political stability".
What with the world occupied with the North Koreans, the Middle East, Pakistan and still seemingly entranced by Obama, the critical issue of global warming has slipped below the radar.

It oughn't for the consequences of ignoring it are dire - as
If emissions are not brought under control, within 25 years, the report states:

• 310m more people will suffer adverse health consequences related to temperature increases

• 20m more people will fall into poverty

• 75m extra people will be displaced by climate change.

Climate change is expected to have the most severe impact on water supplies . "Shortages in future are likely to threaten food production, reduce sanitation, hinder economic development and damage ecosystems. It causes more violent swings between floods and droughts. Hundreds of millions of people are expected to become water stressed by climate change by the 2030. "."

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