Climate Change Set to Overwhelm the World's Poor

Friends of the Earth International has demanded steep emissions cuts by all rich countries and more funding for climate change adaptation in developing countries, after the world's leading scientific experts today warned that the world's poor - who have done least to pollute the atmosphere - will suffer most as the planet heats up.

Despite the negligible historical emissions of greenhouse gases by the least developed countries, their people will bear the brunt of climate change, as they are the most vulnerable to the impacts and least able to adapt. This is the message of the United Nation's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which addresses climate impacts, adaptation and vulnerability.

The report - the second of a series based on the latest scientific literature - has taken six years to compile and draws on research by 2,500 scientists from over 130 countries. It should shock the world into taking urgent action to reduce global emissions.

Friends of the Earth International's Climate Campaigner, Catherine Pearce, said: "This report confirms that the scientific findings are stronger than ever. World leaders have overwhelming evidence that urgent action must be taken to cut emissions of greenhouse gases."