From Wednesday's Globe and Mail
Last updated on Wednesday, Dec. 09, 2009 01:49AM EST

New research highlights the devastating financial impact of failing to stop climate change. Lower agricultural yields, less water and increased health-care needs are among the costly results, with some of the world's fastest-growing economies among the most financially vulnerable.

CANADA - Less vulnerable

-Agricultural output to increase

-Water availability to decline by 8 per cent per capita by 2020

-Increasing Prairie droughts

-Forest damage from fires and infestations

UNITED KINGDOM - Marginally vulnerable

-Agricultural sector to see some positive impacts

-Water availability per capita to decline 4 per cent

-Hydro power potential to increase by 3.7 per cent by 2025

-Rising sea levels to threaten London's infrastructure

INDIA - Highly vulnerable

-Water availability to decrease as much as 15 per cent per capita by 2020

-Cereal production to decline as much as 25 per cent per capita

-Increase of 70 per cent in climate-related health issues

-Sea level rise to threaten major cities

CHINA - Highly vulnerable

-Cereal production to drop as much as 8 per cent

-Already scarce water availability to decline by 8 per cent per capita by 2020

-Malaria, malnutrition, diarrhea and flood-related diseases to increase threefold by 2020

-Increased demand for electricity and lower production

UNITED STATES - Moderately vulnerable

-Water availability to fall 10 per cent per capita

-Cereal production to decrease up to 15 per cent

-New York is the third most exposed city in the world in terms of value of assets at risk from rising sea levels

-Manifold increases in losses due to hurricanes

BRAZIL - Highly vulnerable

-Per capita water availability to decrease by 29 per cent

-Cereal production per capita to decline by up to 9 per cent by 2020

-Climate-related health issues to increase threefold

-Amazon rain forest to dry out

THE GLOBE AND MAIL / SOURCE: HSBC CLIMATE CHANGE CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE; SHAWN McCARTHY