Heavier rainfall, storms and droughts could wipe billions off economies and destroy lives, says report by 220 scientists.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the body of the world's leading climate scientists convened by the United Nations have produced a new report which  contains stark warnings for developing countries in particular, which are likely to be worst afflicted in part because of their geography, but also because they are less well prepared for extreme weather in their infrastructure and have less economic resilience than developed nations. But the developed world will not be unscathed – heavier bursts of rainfall, heatwaves and droughts are all likely to take their toll.

This is a strong argement for increased spending to prevent increased emissions and to help poorere communities cope with disasters.

To read more

The International Energy Agency has just isues a really hard-hitting warning about the failure of governements to move away from high carbon projects.

"The door is closing," Fatih Birol, chief economist at the International Energy Agency, said. "I am very worried – if we don't change direction now on how we use energy, we will end up beyond what scientists tell us is the minimum [for safety]. The door will be closed forever."

To read the article