|TOP|The Bishop of Liverpool has recently backed a report released this week which highlights the catastrophic effect that climate change might have on Latin America and its wider effect on the rest of the planet.

The Rt Rev James Jones, who has spent a significant amount of time in Honduras in South America, referred to the ‘Up in Smoke?’ research, which has been produced by a coalition of development and aid agencies including Christian groups World Vision International, CAFOD, Christian Aid, Operation Noah and Tearfund, as well as Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth.

Launched to coincide with the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the report warns that weather patterns are becoming more and more extreme in the region, demonstrated by recent floods in Haiti and hurricanes in Brazil.

It also highlights how melting glaciers in the Andes are changing river flows and threatening water supplies for people in Latin America, while attempts to stop illegal logging and deforestation in Brazil are failing.

|AD|In addition, the report predicts that hurricanes and tropical storms are likely to increase in intensity. Bishop Jones unequivocally backed the report’s findings, and said: “Having spent time in Honduras with MOPAWI, a partner of Tearfund, and seen the development work started in the wake of Hurricane Mitch, and having just got back from the Amazon and witnessed the wanton destruction of the rainforest, I endorse this report with passion."

Andrew Pendleton, Manager of Environment and Development at Christian Aid, said people in the West had a ‘moral duty’ to do more to stop climate change.

He said: “This report is a rallying cry on behalf of those people in Latin America and the Caribbean who are already on the frontline of climate change fighting a crisis caused by people in rich countries.

“We have a moral duty to act now not only to reduce drastically our carbon emissions, but also to revolutionise the development model so poor countries can plot a clean path to a more equitable development.

“In the meantime we must compensate them for the damage already done.”

In the report the coalition group calls on the international community to urgently cut greenhouse emissions, help stop illegal logging and support small scale agriculture in the region.