UN chief urges action on climate change
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E-mail Xinhua, June 8, 2013
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday visited a U.S. national research center and reiterated his commitment to mobilize highest-level political will to deal with climate change, a spokesman told reporters here.
"The secretary-general was in Colorado on Friday. He visited the National Center for Atmospheric Research, in Boulder." said Martin Nesirky, Ban's spokesperson, at the daily briefing here.
"There, he spoke about climate change and about his commitment to mobilizing political will at the highest levels to address this global challenge," Nesirky said.
At the research center, Ban told the audience that he has visited the Antarctic and Arctic, the Brazilian rainforest and the dry lands of Mongolia, and has attended every United Nations climate change conference since he took office.
The UN chief announced that he is convening a high level meeting of world leaders next year to mobilize political will for a universal, ambitious and binding climate change agreement by 2015.
"Over the next two years, I will engage leaders at the highest level from governments, business, finance, science and civil society and harness the full strength of the UN system to catalyze ambitious action to reduce emissions and strengthen climate resilience," Ban said.
In his remarks there, Ban also paid his tribute to scientists and researchers who have been studying the data of climate change and "refusing to be swayed by politics, skeptics and interest groups."
In addition, the secretary-general called for the full engagement of everyone, including the scientists and meteorologists who have their fingers on the pulse of our planet, to help reduce the risks posed by climate change.
According to Nesirky, Ban was expected to address the graduate commencement ceremony and receive an honorary degree at the University of Denver later Friday, before being back in New York on Saturday.
