CANARY

UN Draft Report Warns: 280 Million People Could Be Displaced by Rising Seas

The 900-page scientific assessment would be the fourth similar report published by the United Nations in less than a year.

A draft report by the United Nations warns that 280 million people could be displaced by rising sea-levels at 2 celsius of warming, AFP reported Thursday. The 900-page scientific assessment would be the fourth report published by the UN in the past year to warn of the possible catastrophic implications of climate change without international action taken. The latest report states that at least 30 percent of permafrost in the northern hemisphere could melt by the end of the century, further accelerating global warming.

The draft will be vetted by diplomats next month in Monaco. The science cannot be modified, but representatives will nevertheless debate over what is included and how to frame the findings. The recent reports have all concluded that a global shift of traditional production and consumption practices must be enforced to prevent environmental degradation.

The so-called “Big Four” in global fossil fuel emissions—the United States, European Union, China, and India—all face devastating sea level rise, but none have presented aggressive plans to match their output.