ISTANBUL, Turkey, June 27 (UPI) -- Changes in global weather patterns could lead to political instability in the long term, the head of the International Panel on Climate Change said in Turkey.
"Those countries that are the most vulnerable are going to be the most resentful of those that are most responsible for climate change," R.K. Pachauri, director general of the IPCC, said Wednesday. "A new north-south divide is going to be evident."
The comments came at the "East Meets West: New Frontiers of Energy Security" conference organized by Cambridge Energy Research Associates in Istanbul.
"The inequitable impact of climate change will lead to tensions," he said. "If decisions have to be taken on climate change, then clearly the realities of economics must be taken into account."
Pachauri added that though climate change may be acceptable in some cases -- frozen parts of the world that may now be capable of agriculture -- for most it "will add to already existing stress."
Pachauri said that climate change could be used as an opportunity to put in place steps that would mitigate some of its expected pitfalls.
"While there are threats from climate change, it also presents excellent opportunities," he said. "We need to identify some of those opportunities."
He pointed to renewable energy and carbon markets.
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Krishnadev Calamur, UPI Energy Correspondent
