The United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, has asked world leaders to begin the capitalisation of green climate funds.
During the opening ceremony of the one day climate summit under-way in New York on Tuesday, Mr Ban said he expected global government, business and civil society leaders to make significant progress on cutting emissions and pricing carbon.
According to him the dreams of people in throughout the world today, hang in the balance because of the threat that climate change was bringing to the hard-won peace and opportunity of billions of people.
“Today we must set the world on a new course.
“Climate change is a defining issue of our age, of our present. Our response will define our future. To ride this storm we need all hands on deck. That is why we are here today. We need a clear vision. The human, environmental and financial cost of climate change is fast becoming unbearable. We have never faced such a challenge, nor such an opportunity…
“There is only one thing in the way: Us. That is why I have asked you to be here today. Thank you for your leadership. I’m asking you to lead. We must cut emissions. Science says they must peak by 2020 and decline sharply thereafter. By the end of this century we must be carbon neutral,” he told the gathering.
Here To Make History
Mr Ban pointed out that no one was immune from climate change, citing the UN Headquarters, which was flooded during superstorm Sandy and calling for more investments in climate resilient societies that protect all, especially the most vulnerable.
“I ask all governments to commit to a meaningful climate agreement in Paris in 2015.
“We must work together to mobilise money and move markets. Let us invest in climate solutions available to us today. Economists have shown this comes at minimal extra cost while the benefits to our people and our planet are monumental. We need all public finance institutions to step up to the challenge. And we need to bring private finance from the sidelines,” he emphasised, reminding the gathering that they were not at the summit to talk but to make history.
Among those Present at the opening of the summit were former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, the newly appointed UN Messenger of Peace, actor Leonardo Dicaprio.
