With global warming threatening to render an estimated 300,000 people refugees every year, climate change is a far bigger challenge than international terrorism, Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed said on Friday.
“Climate change is going to affect a large number of people through flash floods, diseases and massive human displacement due to sea (level) rise, besides creating food scarcity,” he said at a talk on ‘Environment and Conflict Resolution’ here.
Mr. Nasheed, while pointing out that Maldives and other small islands have already started feeling the heat of global warming, called upon the global community to take urgent and immediate steps to arrest the menace.
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“It is important to defend the Maldives which is on the front line of climate change. If it can happen today to our nation, tomorrow it can happen with you as well,” he said appealing for immediate flow of funds for mitigation measures.
“We have to believe that the climate change is happening and the world is going to end. We have to be able to find a mechanism, a way of getting out of this impasse (global warming) and try to find an amicable and a politically acceptable solution to the whole issue,” Mr. Nasheed added.
He described climate change as a far bigger challenge than international terrorism or piracy.
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Mr. Nasheed favoured a greater role for emerging economies like India and Brazil in climate change combat saying that they should be included in UN Security Council as global warming will also have impact on security.