London, Feb.2 (ANI): Britain on Friday welcomed a UN report on global warming, saying that it highlighted the real threat posed by climate change, and warned of a closing window of opportunity for taking action.

There is an urgent need for the international debate on climate change to move beyond 'them and us' and recognise the world's shared dilemma, British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said.

Environment Secretary David Miliband added: This report confirms our concerns that the window of opportunity to avoid dangerous climate change is closing more quickly than previously thought. It is another nail in the coffin of the climate change deniers and represents the most authoritative picture to date, showing that the debate over the science of climate change is well and truly over.

United Nations scientists meeting in Paris warned Friday that fossil fuel pollution would raise temperatures this century, worsen floods, droughts and hurricanes and melt polar sea ice.

The report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) -- the UN's paramount scientific authority on climate change -- confirms the problem is worse and more urgent than had been previously understood, Beckett said.

Failure to grow our economies will threaten peace and prosperity, but if we grow our economies at the expense of the climate, the same peace and prosperity will be threatened, she said in a statement. (ANI with inputs)