One-Third of All Species 'At Risk'

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the U.N. plans to release a report this weekend which declares that "Almost one-third of the world's species will face extinction if greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise."

The newspaper goes on to report, "A draft circulated ahead of the conference blames human activities for rising temperatures and says cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, mainly from burning fossil fuels, are needed to avert heat waves, melting glaciers and rising seas. The Synthesis Report, the fourth from the climate panel this year, is intended to inform negotiations on a new climate change treaty next month in Bali."

"The scientists will say that it is possible to halt global warming if the world's greenhouse gas emissions start to decline before 2015. This is highly unlikely. Emissions are projected to increase by up to 90 per cent by 2030 on present estimates, the report says."

"The study, to be published on Saturday, will warn that if emissions continue to rise without action being taken until 2050, then global average temperatures would rise by up to five degrees."

"Such an average rise would cause "significant extinctions", a decrease in cereal harvests everywhere and the flooding of 30 per cent of coastal wetlands."

Read the full story here.