UN report sets bleak stage ahead of Earth Summit

A UN report sets the stage for this month’s Earth Summit with a sobering assessment of a planet where sea levels are rising, forests are being destroyed and more than 2 billion people face water shortages.

The report, to be released Tuesday, reviewed the most authoritative data from UN and international organisations on the use of natural resources.

Fossil fuel consumption and carbon emissions continued to rise in the 1990s, particularly in Asia and North America, according to the study. Signs of climate change linked to global warming were more apparent, including more frequent and intense droughts in parts of Asia and Africa and rising sea levels.