By Lee Tae-hoon
Staff Reporter
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on the United States and other major greenhouse gas emitters to reach a compromise ahead of a climate change summit slated for December in Copenhagen.
``All agree that climate change is an existential threat to humankind,'' Ban wrote in an op-ed article published Monday by The New York Times. ``Yet, agreement on what to do still eludes us.''
Ban said little progress was made at recent climate negotiations held in Bangkok from Sept. 28 to Oct. 9 due to a lack of political will that world leaders placed in combating global warming.
He noted the issue is complex and involves political trade-offs and commitments that no leader can undertake lightly.
``Yet, the elements of a deal are on the table. All we require to put them in place is the political will,'' Ban said.
``We need to step back from narrow national interest and engage in frank and constructive discussion in a spirit of global common cause.''
Ban also stressed that U.S. leadership is crucial and the world cannot afford another period where the United States stands on the sidelines.
``An engaged United States can lead the world to seal a deal to combat climate change in Copenhagen,'' Ban pointed out. ``An indecisive or insufficiently engaged United States will cause unnecessary ― and ultimately unaffordable ― delay in concrete strategies and policies to beat this looming challenge.''
The U.N. figurehead said he was encouraged by the spirit of compromise shown in the bipartisan initiative announced last week by U.S. Senators John Kerry and Lindsey Graham.
``Here was a pair of U.S. senators ― one Republican, the other Democratic ― coming together to bridge their parties' differences to address climate change in a spirit of genuine give-and-take,'' he said.
In June, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a sweeping climate bill, but the Senate has not acted yet. The passage of the legislation would make the world's largest energy consumer cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent over the next 40 years.
Ban also praised Korea, Japan, Norway and the EU for showing readiness to curb emissions and develop clean energy technology.