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Global warming could cause more hunger in Africa and melt most Himalayan glaciers by the 2030s, according to a draft UN report due out on Friday.
The report will also warn that the poorest nations are likely to suffer most.
The UN climate panel, giving the most authoritative study on the regional impact of climate change since 2001, also predicts more heatwaves in countries such as the United States, and damage to coral including Australia's Great Barrier Reef.
"We are talking about a potentially catastrophic set of developments," said UN Environment Program head Achim Steiner.
"Even a half-metre rise in sea levels would have catastrophic effects in Bangladesh and some island states."
Scientists and officials from more than 100 countries meet in Belgium from Monday to review and approve a 21-page summary for policy-makers in the report amid disputes on some findings, including on how far rising temperatures may contribute to spreading disease.
Among the gloomy forecasts, the report predicts that glaciers in the Himalayas, the world's highest mountain range, will melt away, affecting hundreds of millions of people.
"If current warming rates are maintained, Himalayan glaciers could decay at very rapid rates, shrinking from the present 500,000 square kilometres to 100,000 square kilometres by 2030s," according to a draft technical summary.
And disruptions are likely to be felt hardest in poor nations, such as sub-Saharan Africa and Asia where millions more could go hungry because of damage to farming and water supplies.
But some nations will see some benefits, according to the draft by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which draws on work by 2,500 scientists.
Global farm potential might increase with a rise of 3 degrees Celsius in temperatures, before sinking worldwide, it says.
Crops might grow better in nations far from the tropics such as Canada, Russia, New Zealand or Scandinavia.
Source: ABC News Online
Sponsored By:
The report will also warn that the poorest nations are likely to suffer most.
The UN climate panel, giving the most authoritative study on the regional impact of climate change since 2001, also predicts more heatwaves in countries such as the United States, and damage to coral including Australia's Great Barrier Reef.
"We are talking about a potentially catastrophic set of developments," said UN Environment Program head Achim Steiner.
"Even a half-metre rise in sea levels would have catastrophic effects in Bangladesh and some island states."
Scientists and officials from more than 100 countries meet in Belgium from Monday to review and approve a 21-page summary for policy-makers in the report amid disputes on some findings, including on how far rising temperatures may contribute to spreading disease.
Among the gloomy forecasts, the report predicts that glaciers in the Himalayas, the world's highest mountain range, will melt away, affecting hundreds of millions of people.
"If current warming rates are maintained, Himalayan glaciers could decay at very rapid rates, shrinking from the present 500,000 square kilometres to 100,000 square kilometres by 2030s," according to a draft technical summary.
And disruptions are likely to be felt hardest in poor nations, such as sub-Saharan Africa and Asia where millions more could go hungry because of damage to farming and water supplies.
But some nations will see some benefits, according to the draft by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which draws on work by 2,500 scientists.
Global farm potential might increase with a rise of 3 degrees Celsius in temperatures, before sinking worldwide, it says.
Crops might grow better in nations far from the tropics such as Canada, Russia, New Zealand or Scandinavia.
Source: ABC News Online
Sponsored By:
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