在17日舉行的聯合國安理會中，英國與中國首次在氣候變遷問題槓上了。北京方面的說法是，其中有15個成員國無力應付全球暖化，然而本次會議主席英國外長貝克特(Margaret Beckett)則主張，氣候變遷將導致戰爭的潛在危機，應在聯合國最有力的組織-安理會中進行討論。
貝克特表示，「安理會所賦予我們的責任，就是要維持世界和平與安全，其中還包括預防衝突。而不穩定的天候也將加速某些衝突的惡化，例如移民潮以及資源的競爭等。」她並且引用烏干達總統穆塞維尼(Yoweri Museveni)所言，氣候變遷是「一種富國對窮國的侵略行為。」
不期望達成任何相關的決議，俄羅斯、中國、卡達、印尼、南非以及其他國家也對安理會提出警告，安理會的命令只限於和平與安全，並非採取實質的行動。
然而聯合國秘書長潘基文(Ban Ki-moon)則支持貝克特的這項主張。針對地球氣候變遷所做的規劃，不僅僅是環境領域的議題，如同安理會所表明，能源與氣候變遷方面的議題，同時也涉及了和平與安全的領域。
UNITED NATIONS - Britain and China faced off on Tuesday in the first-ever UN Security Council debate on climate change, with Beijing saying the 15-member body had no competence in dealing with global warming. But British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett, who chaired the meeting, argued that the potential for climate change to cause wars had to move from the fringes of the debate to the Security Council, the most powerful UN body.
"Our responsibility in this council is to maintain international peace and security, including the prevention of conflict," said Beckett, whose country holds the current council presidency. "An unstable climate will exacerbate some of the core drivers of conflict -- such as migratory pressures and competition for resources." She noted that Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, whose economy depends on hydropower from a reservoir depleted by drought, had called climate change "an act of aggression by the rich against the poor."
No resolution is expected and Russia, China, Qatar, Indonesia and South Africa, among others, also warned that the council, whose mandate is only peace and security, was not the place to take concrete action.
But UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon supported the debate, which Beckett called "a groundbreaking day in the history of the Security Council." "Projected changes in the earth's climate are thus not only an environmental concern," Ban said. "And -- as the council points up today -- issues of energy and climate change can have implications for peace and security."
全文及圖片詳見 REUTERS報導
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In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
