Secretary-General, in Message to Seoul Conference, Calls for ‘Right Policy

Signals’, Incentives to Boost Green Technologies, Climate Financing

Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message to the Seoul Climate-Energy Conference, today:

I am pleased to send greetings to the Seoul Climate-Energy Conference.  The United Nations Climate Summit is less than three weeks away.  World leaders from Governments, business, finance and civil society will gather to address what we can do to mitigate climate risks and maximize opportunities for building safer, healthier and more prosperous societies.

The effects of climate change are already costly and extensive for communities, Governments and ecosystems around the world.   We know the warming of the planet is contributing to sea level rise and extreme weather events.

But, affordable, practicable solutions are available to help people and countries curb greenhouse emissions, create cleaner, more efficient and resilient economies and reduce extreme poverty.  These are the goals of the Sustainable Energy for All initiative that I launched in 2011.

You are at this meeting because you know the benefits of sustainable energy:  cleaner air, water and food security, job creation and sustainable economic growth.  The Seoul Climate-Energy Conference presents a timely opportunity for us to evaluate what needs to be done to build this kind of future.  To dramatically transform the world’s energy systems, we need to provide the right policy signals and incentives to scale up green technologies and ensure adequate climate financing.

Your discussions today can provide a valuable contribution to success at the Climate Summit and in the climate negotiations that will culminate in a meaningful universal agreement in Paris in 2015.

I wish you a successful and productive Conference.

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For information media • not an official record