First climate debate divides UN (debate initiated by UK)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6562251.stm

First climate debate divides UN
Margaret Beckett
Mrs Beckett proposed the debate

The United Nations Security Council has held its first ever debate on climate change with some members arguing it was not the place for such a discussion.

British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett justified the debate by linking the issue to security.

But Russia and China said that as an international security watchdog, the 15-member council was not the right forum to debate climate change.

Mrs Beckett said an unstable climate could lead to increased world conflict.

The debate was initiated by the UK, which holds the presidency of the Security Council this month.

No resolution or statement arose from the discussion, in which 55 member states spoke.

Two world wars

"Our responsibility in this council is to maintain international peace and security, including the prevention of conflict," said Mrs Beckett.

She said the Stern report on climate change, which was commissioned by the UK government, warned of potential economic disruption on the scale of the two world wars and the Great Depression.

But China's deputy UN ambassador, Liu Zhenmin, said that the council lacked "professional competence in handling climate change".

Pakistan's UN delegate Farukh Amil said it was "inappropriate" for the Security Council to debate climate change.

more...

A do nothing council. "Ewwww, we don't even wanna think about it. We are incompetent."

The IPCC is a vastly superior mechanism through which to address climate change.

Should the IPCC address security issues, because war can affect the climate? :crazy: