Foreign,Commonwealth and Development Office
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Margaret Beckett Responds to the Publication of the United Nations Report on Climate Change
Commenting on the publication of yesterday's UN report on climate change, Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said:
"The destruction described in these findings is a threat not only to the UK's prosperity but also to international peace and security. That is why, at the UK's initiative, the UN Security Council will on the 17th April hold its first ever discussion on the security implications of climate change. We hope that this discussion will foster a shared understanding of the way in which climate stress is likely to amplify other drivers of conflict and tension, and thereby strengthen the commitment of the international community to the collective action that we urgently need."
Notes to editors:
Addressing climate change is a key priority for the UK.
* The UK was instrumental in building consensus at the recent European Council on a far-reaching package of targets and measures to build a low-carbon economy in Europe.
* The UK, together with the German G8 Presidency, is pressing to secure an agreement among G8 partners and the major emerging economies on the key components of a post-2012 international climate change initiative at the Heiligendamm G8 Summit.
* This will be an essential condition for progress at the next UK Climate Change conference in Bali in the Autumn
