UN council fails to agree on climate change

UNITED NATIONS— The U.N. Security Council has failed to agree that climate change is an international peace and security issue, leading the United States to call the lack of consensus “pathetic” and “shortsighted.”

Russia, China and several other council members argued Wednesday that climate change shouldn’t be discussed in the U.N. body responsible for world peace, but rather by agencies such as the U.N. Environment Program and the U.N. Economic and Social Council.

Britain is joining the U.S. in arguing that it’s appropriate for the council to address the climate change’s implications, noting that dramatically changing weather patterns are leading to flooding, drought, dwindling food stocks and other crises that threaten global security and peace.