Emissions cuts offered so far at the Copenhagen climate change summit will still lead to global temperatures rising by an average of 3C, media claimed today quoting a confidential UN analysis.
With the talks entering the final stages, the emergence of the document seriously undermines the statements by governments that they are aiming to limit emissions to a level of ensuring no more than a 2C temperature rise over the next century and indicates that the last day of negotiations will be extremely challenging, the Guardian reported.
A rise of 3C would mean up to 170 million more people suffering several coastal floods and 550 million more at risk of hunger, an expert report has stated.
Even a rise of 2C would lead to a sharp decline in tropical crop yields, more flooding and droughts.
