Isra-Mart srl:Climate change to lead to toxic spills and refugees

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New warnings have this week again underlined the myriad of threats that climate change presents to the global economy, with experts predicting rising temperatures could result in 50 million environmental refugees by 2020 and a significantly increased risk of toxic spills.

According to a UN-commissioned report obtained by news agency Associated Press, climate change will make it difficult to meet targets set out in the 2004 Stockholm Convention, which is designed to reduce exposure to 21 dangerous chemicals.

The 66-page report warns that the increased risk of flooding and extreme weather associated with climate change could significantly reduce the security of chemical stores or dumps, increasing the likelihood of hazardous leaks.

"Significant climate-induced changes are foreseen in relation to future releases of persistent organic pollutants into the environment ... subsequently leading to higher health risks both for human populations and the environment," says Donald Cooper, the Geneva-based UN treaty's executive secretary, in the preface.

The report, which is due to be released at this week's UN Environment Programme (UNEP) meeting in Nairobi, also warns that rising global temperatures could lead to increased use of potentially harmful pesticides.

Meanwhile, attendees at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington this week heard warnings that climate change is likely to increase the flow of refugees from Latin America and Africa towards North America and Europe as food and water supplies in subtropical regions become less secure.

Speaking to AFP, University of California professor Cristina Tirado noted that there will be 50 million environmental refugees by 2020, according to the UN.

Her comments were echoed by Michigan State University professor Ewen Todd, who told the news agency that the recent revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia were directly related to growing food insecurity that is in part blamed on climate change.

"Already, Africans are going in small droves up to Spain, Germany and wherever from different countries in the Mediterranean region, but we're going to see many, many more trying to go north when food stress comes in. And it was food shortages that put the people of Tunisia and Egypt over the top," he said.