Climate change bigger challenge than terrorism: Nasheed

New Delhi, Oct 23 (PTI) With global warming threatening
to render an estimated 300,000 people refugees every year,
climate change is a far bigger challenge than international
terrorism, Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed said Friday.

"Climate change is going to affect a large number of
people through flash floods, diseases and massive human
displacement due to sea (level) rise, besides creating food
scarcity," he said at a talk on 'Environment and Conflict
Resolution' here in Indian national capital New Delhi.
Nasheed, while pointing out that Maldives and other small
islands have already started feeling the heat of global
warming, called upon the global community to take urgent and
immediate steps to arrest the menace.
"It is important to defend the Maldives which is on the
front line of climate change. If it can happen today to our
nation, tomorrow it can happen with you as well," he said
appealing for immediate flow of funds for mitigation measures.
"We have to believe that the climate change is happening
and the world is going to end. We have to be able to find a
mechanism, a way of getting out of this impasse (global
warming) and try to find an amicable and a politically
acceptable solution to the whole issue," Nasheed added.
He described climate change as a far bigger challenge
than international terrorism or piracy.
Nasheed favoured a greater role for emerging economies
like India and Brazil in climate change combat saying that
they should be included in UN Security Council as global
warming will also have impact on security. (More) PTI AJ
ANU


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