Inaction on climate change could cause humanitarian crisis for 200 mil. people by 2050: Int'l Red Cross
  • 5 years ago
As we've been reporting, the United Nations will hold a landmark climate change meeting on Monday, local time,... where heads of state will share how their countries have been cutting carbon and shifting towards a green economy.
However, reports show there's been little progress on those fronts,... with experts saying millions of people around the world remain at risk of suffering from a humanitarian crisis.
Oh Soo-young reports.
Without decisive action to tackle climate change,... hundreds of millions of people could face a humanitarian crisis by the year 2050.
That's according to a new report released by the International Red Cross,... ahead of the United Nations Climate Action summit on Monday.

“By 2050, 200 million people every year could need international humanitarian aid as a result of a cruel combination of climate related disaster and the socioeconomic impact of the climate change. This is nearly twice the estimated 108 million people who need help today from the international humanitarian system. Because of floods, storms, droughts, and wildfires.”

The report says that the "cost of doing nothing" comes at a price tag of some 20 billion dollars per year by 2030.
However, if governments take prompt action to prioritize climate-conscious social and economic development,... the number of people in need of humanitarian aid could drop by roughly 40 percent compared to today,... and by 90 percent in 2050.
But this requires stronger global commitment to reduce carbon emissions and promote green growth.
Many experts say current national pledges are unlikely to keep global temperatures under 2 degrees Celsius hotter than the pre-industrial age,... as set out in the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.
Monday's summit is expected to serve as a test of resolve on climate change,... as governments, every five years, are set to revisit their earlier commitments.

“The Summit will present practical and new measures to one, speed up the transition from coal to clean energy and to cut the pollution that is harming our health,... create cleaner, greener ways to work and to move, speed up the transition and key sectors from grey to green economies, safeguard people from the impact of climate change already been felt right now."

Taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impact on society... is one of the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals set for the year 2030.
Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.
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