US Secretary of State John Kerry has said the world’s stability is directly linked to climate change and the impact it has on food security for people around the globe.

Kerry made the remarks on Thursday during a speech to the Milan Expo, contending that unrest caused by climate change-induced agricultural failure poses a threat on an international level.

“Make no mistake: The implications here extend well beyond hunger,” he said. “This isn’t only about global food security; it’s about global security – period.”

He stressed the need for all world governments to act swiftly to reduce climate change, saying although the world is confronted with a “horrific refugee situation,” it is nothing  compared with “the mass migrations that intense droughts, sea-level rise and other impacts of climate change are likely to bring about.”

He urged the international community to band together to discuss solutions, adding, otherwise “every one of these challenges – droughts, floods, extreme weather, ocean acidification, hunger and malnutrition – will only become more pronounced.”

Kerry mentioned Syria as an example, saying drought in this country has led to mass urban migration with up to 1.5 million migrants from rural areas living in cities now.

“I’m not suggesting the crisis in Syria was caused by climate change.. But the devastating drought clearly made a bad situation a lot worse.”

The top US diplomat also said urgent action must be taken in the face of hunger among large segments of the world’s fast-growing population.