§ Lord Juddasked Her Majesty's Government:
What evaluation they have made of the likely impact of climate change on low lying coastal states and small island states, particularly in the developing world; what is the outcome of any such evaluation and what action they are taking towards international compliance with the provisions of the 1992 framework conventions on climate change.
The Minister of State, Department of the Environment (Earl Ferrers)The recent second assessment report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change evaluates the vulnerability of coastal zones and small island states, including developing countries, to rises in sea level. The report states that the sea level is expected to rise by about 50 cm between the present and the year 2100 and that this is likely to have effects in some regions, for example on food and water supplies, on coastal populations and on natural ecosystems.
The United Kingdom is on track to meet its commitments under the framework convention on climate change to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases to 1990 levels by the year 2000, and expects to be 4–8 per cent. below 1990 levels by 2000.
Through the Overseas Development Administration, the Government contribute £130 million to the global environment facility. This facility gives priority to funding national communications to the convention from developing countries which, for low-lying countries, will include an assessment of the effect of sea level change. The Overseas Development Administration has also undertaken research on the impact of climate change in the Maldives, Pakistan and Bangladesh.