UN issues melting ice warning
Monday, 04 Jun 2007 13:22
The UN warns that the coming years will see an increase in melting ice
Melting ice resulting from climate change will significantly affect the lives of millions of people, the United Nations has warned today.
As temperatures rise around the world there will be declines in snow cover, sea ice, glaciers, permafrost and lake ice, the report from the UN Environment Programme (Unep) says.
Although melting ice may seem like a far-away problem for people living in many countries, Unep argues the reality is that about 40 per cent of the world's population could be affected by loss of snow and glaciers on the mountains of Asia.
Communities living in mountainous regions including the Andes, Alps and Pyrenees will face greater challenges in the coming years, according to the report.
Melting ice and snow are likely to increase hazards including avalanches and floods from the build-up of unstable glacier lakes.
The report has been issued to coincide with World Environment Day and comes just days before the leaders of the world's eight richest countries meet to discuss the challenge of climate change in Germany.
Achim Steiner, UN under-secretary general and Unep executive director, said: "The report underlines that the fate of the world's snowy and icy places in a climatically challenged world should be cause for concern in every ministry, boardroom and living room across the world.
"Indeed the findings are as relevant to people living in the tropics and temperate climes – and in cities from Berlin to Brasilia and Beijing to Boston – as they are for the people living in Arctic or in ice-capped mountain regions."