Today in my role as the rotating curator of the @HumanrightRCur Twitter account, I shared several articles about climate change. They make interesting reading which readers of this site might also find worthwhile reading. Should the predictions of hunger and poverty prove correct, I am sure certain “levels” of society will survive, Elysium-style.

Flowers like this may become a rare find in 2050.

A beautiful white rose in a neighbour’s garden

The report finds that even if nations meet current climate reduction pledges, greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 are likely to be 8 to 12 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year above levels needed to keep warming to two degrees at the lowest cost.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/current-climate-change-pledges-not-enough-un-warns-20131105-2wzt0.html#ixzz2jqbLK5bD

The following is a good article, but the pop-ups are a pain!

The leaked report said the impact of climate change will affect economic growth, food security and poverty. Global warming is seen to worsen poverty in low and lower-middle income countries while new poverty-stricken areas will emerge in upper-middle to high-income countries.

http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/519293/20131104/global-warming-climate-change-australia-new-zealand.htm#.UnnswfnilBk

This article I really liked.

As it turns out, however, this versatility with land may only get us so far. The world’s growing population, coupled with climate change and limited acres of fertile soil, pose fundamental challenges feeding the world. Today, farmland claims half the surface of the planet. With world population projected to reach 9.3 billion by 2050, just how to coax more food out of each field and where to obtain additional land — without clearing forests, contributing to climate change and harming the environment — will not be easy.

http://www.yaleclimatemediaforum.org/2013/11/feeding-9-billion-on-a-hot-and-hungry-planet/

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights says:

Article 25.

• (1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
• (2) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.

http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/

Related articles

• Warming report sees violent, sicker, poorer future (globalnews.ca)
• Leaked climate report: food shortages and poverty rise (newscientist.com)
• Report warns global warming will worsen starvation, poverty (calgaryherald.com)