Rays of Sunshine

The latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates that between a fifth and a third of all species are "at high risk of irreversible extinction" and that there is a fifty per cent chance that the Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets could be "committed to partial deglaciation". A draft of the report says that there is an eighty per cent chance that human activity has had a "discernible influence on many physical and biological systems". Presumably, this explains why "scientists and officials from world governments have spent the last few days negotiating the final wording", and why the Russian, Chinese and American delegations have been busy lodging objections. "The US delegation is really making its presence felt," somebody said.

The report notes that "poorest countries will suffer the most, with famines, water shortages and floods all increasing" and opening up new markets for GM foods, water privatisation and Scientology. Aside from the Arctic, the most affected region will be sub-Saharan Africa, "where people are least able to adapt" and hence will be crying out for appropriate management training. It is possible that the US delegation feels the positive aspects of climate change have not received sufficient emphasis.