LONDON, June 26 (Reuters) - Joblessness in North Africa and Middle East, combined with the threat of climate change, risk stirring unrest on Europe's doorstep, Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Moller said on Tuesday.
Man-made global warming, leading to desertification and water shortages, will hit poor countries the worst because they are least able to adapt, say policymakers, scientists and analysts.
Troubles including migration pressures could spill over into Europe from North Africa and the Middle East because of a growing pool there of unemployed men aged 15 to 25, Moller said.
"They (that age group) created the French revolution, the Russian revolution and the Nazi revolution," he said, speaking at a climate change conference at Chatham House in London.
"We're really heading for problems in North Africa and the Middle East. If you also get the climate problem then you really have the recipe for unrest in the future."
On Monday, the head of Britain's armed forces, Jock Stirrup, warned that climate change could cause weakened states to disintegrate and produce major humanitarian disasters or exploitation by armed groups.
"It seems to me rather like pouring petrol onto a burning fire," Stirrup told the Chatham House think-tank in London.
Moller used the example of Denmark's successful exploitation of soaring global demand for wind energy, partly in response to the climate change issue, to argue that the world can win the fight against global warming and make money.
"There's still time to act, to prevent global catastrophe. There is a win-win. In Denmark economic and environmental aims not only converge but reinforce each other. Every third wind turbine in the world originates from Denmark."
He also highlighted the example of successful global action to reduce emissions of gases that damage the ozone layer.
"It's a success story, it can be done, we can do it with carbon dioxide, too."