As the developed world twiddles its fingers in the face of a rapidly warming World Environment, a new United Nations report says the changes can increase the number of people living in extreme poverty by 3 billion.  “A clean and safe environment should be seen as a right,” according to the report, “not a privilege.”

The 2013 Human Development Report says inaction on deforestation, and air and water pollution could effective destroy any development gains made by the world’s poorest nations and communities.

The report expressly states, “The longer action is delayed, the higher the cost will be.

“Environmental inaction, especially regarding climate change, has the potential to halt or even reverse human development progress. The number of people in extreme poverty could increase by up to 3 billion by 2050 unless environmental disasters are averted by coordinated global action,” said the UN.