Window to reverse climate change "atlas of human suffering" almost closed, U.N. warns

Paris — After decades of talking tough on global warming while greenhouse gas emissions rose, the world and its leaders were confronted Monday by a horrifying "atlas of human suffering" and the promise of far worse to come.

Nearly half the planet's population is highly vulnerable to a devastating array of climate impacts, according to a landmark UN report that said time had very nearly run out to ensure a "liveable future" for all.

"The cumulative scientific evidence is unequivocal: Climate change is a threat to human wellbeing and planetary health," the report concluded.