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Extreme weather events, such as typhoons, to come more often with climate change

IPCC chairman: we may “pass on a lousy, spoilt and defiled planet” As Typhoon Haiyan hits the Philippines, Rajendra Pachauri calls for a grassroots movement to put pressure on politicians to act on climate change theguardian.com, Sunday 10 November 2013  The chairman of the United Nations’ climate panel has warned the world to act on global warming to avoid passing “on a lousy, spoilt and defiled planet” to future generations.

Rajendra K Pachauri, the chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), spoke out as typhoon Haiyan slammed into the Philippines causing hundreds of deaths and widespread destruction.

While Pachauri said it was not possible to blame any single disaster on the steep rise in carbon emissions, the increased frequency of extreme weather events was consistent with scientific predictions.

Speaking in Copenhagen, Pachauri criticised those who claim higher global temperatures would be beneficial to human society. While he said some countries may benefit in the short term, the impacts would be disastrous over time and hit the most marginalised communities.

Pachauri called for a grassroots movement to put pressure on politicians to act and warns that they risk the voters’ wrath if they fail to respond.

To the fossil fuel lobby that is seeking to maintain the status quo, Pachauri gives this message: “It’s the will of the people that will be supreme.”…… http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/ippc-pachauri-climate-change-spoilt-defiled-planet

November 11, 2013 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | general