“Universities such as yours are founts of ideas and innovation,” Mr. Ban said to the University Presidents' Forum on Climate Change and Sustainable Development in Asia and Africa, held at Korea University.

“Tell your university students, your colleagues, your political leaders: we must seize this once-in-a-generation chance? We need to put the best minds – our best young minds, particularly – to work in generating climate solutions.”

Mr. Ban called for a “robust intellectual debate” on how to limit global temperature increase and on how to transform the world's economy toward low-emissions growth. He added that world leaders must “go to Copenhagen in December and make it real.”

“They must seal a deal in the name of humankind,” Mr. Ban said.

The Secretary-General also stressed the importance of addressing climate change during talks today with the mayor in his hometown, Chungju.

Yesterday, in Seoul, the Secretary-General met the Republic of Korea's Unification Minister for talks on inter-Korean relations, and on the UN's humanitarian work in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

News Tracker: past stories on this issue

Rise in gas emissions must be contained to avoid global disaster, says Ban