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PM warns of climate 'catastrophe' PM warns of climate 'catastrophe'
(about 9 hours later)
The UK faces a "catastrophe" of floods, droughts and killer heatwaves if world leaders fail to agree a deal on climate change, the prime minister will warn. The UK faces a "catastrophe" of floods, droughts and killer heatwaves if world leaders fail to agree a deal on climate change, the prime minister has warned.
Gordon Brown is to address the Major Economies Forum in London, which brings together 17 of the world's biggest greenhouse gas-emitting countries. Gordon Brown said negotiators had 50 days to save the world from global warming and break the "impasse".
Mr Brown will say there will be "no plan B" if agreement is not reached at December's UN summit in Copenhagen. He told the Major Economies Forum in London, which brings together 17 of the world's biggest greenhouse gas-emitting countries, there was "no plan B".
Negotiators have 50 days to save the world from global warming, he will add. World delegations meet in Copenhagen in December for talks on a new treaty.
'Rising wave''Rising wave'
The Copenhagen summit in December is intended produce a new global climate change deal to replace the ageing Kyoto treaty. The United Nations summit will aim to establish a deal to replace the 1997 Kyoto treaty as its targets for reducing emissions only apply to a small number of countries and expire in 2012.
But BBC deputy political editor James Landale said that not everything was going to plan.
Once the damage from unchecked emissions growth is done, no retrospective global agreement, in some future period, can undo that choice Gordon BrownOnce the damage from unchecked emissions growth is done, no retrospective global agreement, in some future period, can undo that choice Gordon Brown
At the meeting in London, the prime minister will warn that preparatory talks within the United Nations have reached an impasse. Mr Brown said it was a profound moment for the world involving momentous choice.
Negotiators, he will say, are not reaching agreement quickly enough. At the meeting in London, the prime minister warned that preparatory talks within the United Nations have reached an impasse.
"In Britain we face the prospect of more frequent droughts and a rising wave of floods," Mr Brown is expected to tell delegates. Negotiators, he said, were not reaching agreement quickly enough.
"In Britain we face the prospect of more frequent droughts and a rising wave of floods," Mr Brown told delegates.
"The extraordinary summer heatwave of 2003 in Europe resulted in over 35,000 extra deaths."The extraordinary summer heatwave of 2003 in Europe resulted in over 35,000 extra deaths.
"On current trends, such an event could become quite routine in Britain in just a few decades' time. And within the lifetime of our children and grandchildren the intense temperatures of 2003 could become the average temperature experienced throughout much of Europe."
Grim warningGrim warning
If a deal is not agreed, the world will face more conflict fuelled by climate-induced migration, Mr Brown will add. "On current trends, such an event could become quite routine in Britain in just a few decades' time. And within the lifetime of our children and grandchildren the intense temperatures of 2003 could become the average temperature experienced throughout much of Europe."
He will tell the meeting that by 2080 an extra 1.8 billion people - a quarter of the world's current population - could lack sufficient water. Many campaign groups say the UN talks are stalling
Mr Brown will say: "If we do not reach a deal at this time, let us be in no doubt: once the damage from unchecked emissions growth is done, no retrospective global agreement, in some future period, can undo that choice. If a deal was not agreed, the world would face more conflict fuelled by climate-induced migration, Mr Brown added.
He told the meeting that by 2080 an extra 1.8 billion people - a quarter of the world's current population - could lack sufficient water.
Mr Brown said: "If we do not reach a deal at this time, let us be in no doubt: once the damage from unchecked emissions growth is done, no retrospective global agreement, in some future period, can undo that choice.
"So we should never allow ourselves to lose sight of the catastrophe we face if present warming trends continue.""So we should never allow ourselves to lose sight of the catastrophe we face if present warming trends continue."
Agreement at Copenhagen "is possible", he will conclude. Agreement at Copenhagen "is possible", he concluded.
Commitments unlikely
"But we must frankly face the plain fact that our negotiators are not getting to agreement quickly enough. So I believe that leaders must engage directly to break the impasse.""But we must frankly face the plain fact that our negotiators are not getting to agreement quickly enough. So I believe that leaders must engage directly to break the impasse."
In recent days there have been a number of warnings that progress is stalling, with Rajendra Pachauri, head of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, telling Newsweek magazine that "the prospects that states will actually agree to anything in Copenhagen are starting to look worse and worse". In recent days there have been a number of warnings that progress is stalling, with Rajendra Pachauri, head of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, telling Newsweek magazine "the prospects that states will actually agree to anything in Copenhagen are starting to look worse and worse".
MEF is not part of the formal UN process and so firm commitments are unlikely to come from the meeting.MEF is not part of the formal UN process and so firm commitments are unlikely to come from the meeting.
It is seen instead as a forum where countries can explore options and positions in a less pressured environment.It is seen instead as a forum where countries can explore options and positions in a less pressured environment.