The eyes of the world are now on Paris, where later this month heads of state and government will gather to open negotiations on a new global agreement on climate change. At this critical moment, one essential point must not be lost: climate change represents a clear, near-term threat to the world's efforts to end poverty.

A new World Bank Group report lays out the facts. Unless we take the right steps now, the impacts of climate change could push more than 100 million people into poverty over the next 15 years.

But as the report also shows, we have the power to prevent this. It will require making sure that poverty reduction and development take into account the changing climate while fighting climate change in a way that protects the poor.