UN countries divided over the role of the Security Council's climate

Nauru is one of several Member States small Pacific island threatened by sea level rise. Its President, Marcus Stephen, asked for the appointment of a United Nations Special Envoy for climate change and security. Photography: Torsten Blackwood/AFP/Getty Images

Western Nations clashed with Russia and the developing countries on Wednesday about whether climate change was a security matter deserving of attention of the Security Council, the most powerful organ of the UN.

Diplomats said Russia initially blocked the adoption of a Declaration on the question of the Council of 15 countries, but later agreed to a revised text, weakly worded that talked about "possible security implications of climate change. He also failed to take forward the EU idea of a peacekeeping force of climate "Green Helmets".

The dispute came as the Council formally discussed the environment for the first time in four years and dire warnings followed by a top UN official that global warming was accelerating, with unforeseeable consequences.

In the debate called by Germany, President of the Council this month, Western speakers said increasing aridity caused by climate change had contributed to conflict in the Darfur region in Sudan and Somalia, where the United Nations said famine had hit two areas.

Ambassador of the United States, that Susan Rice said Washington strongly believed the Council "has an essential responsibility for dealing with peace and security implications of climate change" and should "start now".

Speaking while negotiations on the Declaration were still blocked, rice charged that the message of the silence of the Council to countries threatened by climate change induced disasters would be "in force, ' Tough luck '".

"This is most disappointing. It is pathetic. It is short-sighted and frankly is a dereliction of duty ".

But the Russian envoy Alexander Pankin said that Moscow was "skeptical" about attempts to put the implications of climate change on the agenda of the Council, which is set to deal with threats to international peace and security.

"We believe that engaging the Security Council on a regular review the issue of climate change will not bring any added value and will only lead to greater politicization of this issue and major disagreements between the countries," he said.

Western diplomats said Russia's statement reflects the long-standing concerns about the Security Council agenda "creep."

Temporary Council members India and Brazil also said that he had doubts whether the body should be involved. Indian Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri, said the Council "did not have the means to resolve the situation."

Developing countries criticized against what they said was an attempt of the Club of great power of muscle in specifically on the territory of the General Assembly 193-nation and United Nations agencies dedicated to climate change.

But President Marcus Stephen of Nauru, one of several Member States small Pacific island threatened by rising sea levels blamed on climate change, asked the Council to request for the appointment of a United Nations Special Envoy for climate change and security.

The statement did not finally agreed to that proposal, but expressed "concern about possible adverse effects of long-term climate change may worsen certain existing threats to international peace and security".

He also asked UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to include information about climate change impacts in its regular reports on the world's troublespots.

Western diplomats said that the fact that any statement was agreed was a breakthrough on the last Council debate on the issue in 2007. "This was a good day today for climate security," German Ambassador Peter Wittig told reporters.

Previously, Achim Steiner, head of the environment program of the UN, said climate change was advancing faster than the attempts to contain through slow negotiations conducted by UN targets of greenhouse gas emissions and other measures.

He cited projections that some parts of the world would see 3-4° C temperature rises this century while negotiators seek to set a goal of 2 C; sea level could rise by 3 feet (1 meter) of this century. and that natural disasters could increase exponentially ".

Steiner "the world is faced with a scenario of global warming which is already far beyond what we believe may be able to manage these changes and trends as we will be able to conclude the negotiations," the Council said.

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UN divided countries the role of the Security Council

Nauru is one of the smaller Pacific island States threatened by rising sea levels. Its President Marcus Stephen, called for the appointment of a UN Special Envoy for the climate and security. Photography: Torsten Blackwood/AFP/Getty Images

Western Nations clashed with Russia and developing countries on Wednesday over whether climate change was a security matter deserve the attention of the Security Council, the body of a more powerful.

Diplomats said Russia initially blocked the adoption of a Declaration on the issue by the 15-nation Council, but then agreed to a revised text, weakly formulated that spoke of "possible security implications of climate change. Failed to move forward the idea of Rome of a peacekeeping force of climate "green helmet".

The dispute came as the Council formally discussed the environment for the first time in four years and followed official warnings from a terrible of an elder that global warming was speeding up, with unforeseeable consequences.

In the debate called by Germany, President of the Council this month, Western speakers said increasing aridity caused by climate change had contributed to conflict in the Darfur region of Sudan and in Somalia, where the United Nations said famine had struck the two areas.

U.s. Ambassador Susan Rice said that that Washington believed the Council has a responsibility to address the clear peace and the security implications of a changing climate "and should" start now ".

Speaking while negotiations were still blocked on education, rice accused that the silence of the Council to countries threatened by climate-induced disasters would be "in fact, ' tough luck '".

"This is most disappointing. It's pathetic. It is short-sighted, and frankly it is a dereliction of duty ".

But the Russian envoy Alexander Paglia said that Moscow was "skeptical" about the attempts to put the consequences of climate change on the agenda of the Council, which is defined as dealing with threats to international peace and security.

"We believe that involving the Security Council in a periodic review of the problem of climate change will not bring any added value whatsoever and will simply lead to further increased politicization of this issue and further disagreements between countries," he said.

Western diplomats said the statement by Russia reflects long-standing concerns on Security Council agenda "creep."

Members of the Provisional Council, India and Brazil also said they have questioned whether the body should be involved. Indian Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri said the Council "does not have the means to address the situation."

Developing ranted against what they said was an attempt to muscles on the territory of the General Assembly of the 193-nation and United Nations agencies, in particular the big power club dedicated to climate change.

But the President Marcus Stephen of Nauru, one of the smaller Pacific island States threatened by rising sea levels blamed on climate change, called on the Council to request appointment of a UN Special Envoy for the climate and security.

Education eventually agreed not to that proposal but expressed "concerns that possible negative effects of climate change in the long run, can aggravate certain, existing threats to international peace and security".

He also asked the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to include information on possible impacts of climate change in its regular reports on the crisis in the world.

Western diplomats said that the fact that any statement was agreed in advance to the last debate of the Council on the issue in 2007. "This was a good day today for climate protection," German Ambassador Peter Wittig told reporters.

Previously, Achim Steiner, head of the United Nations Environment program, said the climate was advancing faster than attempts to contain it through UN negotiations on slow-moving targets of greenhouse gas emissions and other measures.

He cited projections that some parts of the world see 3-4 C temperature increases this century while trying to negotiators of an objective 2 C; that sea levels could rise by 3 feet (1 meter) of this century; and that natural disasters could "increase exponentially".

"The world is confronted with a scenario of global warming which is already well beyond where we believe that we might be able to manage these changes and trends, if we are able to conclude the negotiations," Steiner told the Council.

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