"Yes we can," writes UN Secretary-General

Monday, 26 October 2009 09:57

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has challenged the United States to show leadership in the negotiations on a new Climate Treaty. Writing in the New York Times, the Secretary-General says that “ U.S. leadership is crucial.”

“We cannot afford another period where the United States stands on the sidelines,” writes Mr. Ban. “An engaged United States can lead the world to seal a deal to combat climate change in Copenhagen. An indecisive or insufficiently engaged United States will cause unnecessary — and ultimately unaffordable — delay in concrete strategies and policies to beat this looming challenge.”

UN Secretary-General welcomes US President Barack Obama in New York 22 September 2009.

The Secretary-General writes that all agree that climate change is an existential threat to humankind, "Yet agreement on what to do still eludes us."

“How can this be? The issues are complex, affecting everything from national economies to individual lifestyles. They involve political trade-offs and commitments of resources no leader can undertake lightly. We could see all that at recent climate negotiations in Bangkok. Where we needed progress, we saw gridlock.”

According to the Secretary-General the elements of a deal are on the table, but political will is lacking. However, Mr. Ban says he is encouraged by a new bi-partisan initiative by two U.S. Senators:

“Can we seal a comprehensive, equitable and ambitious deal in Copenhagen…Can we expect the United States to play a leading role?

The best answer to all these questions was given last week by Senators Kerry and Graham: “Yes, we can.”

See the full text of the Secretary-General´s Op-Ed in the New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/26/opinion/26iht-edban.html?scp=2&sq=Ban%20Ki-moon&st=cse