It is always a great pleasure to visit Denmark and discuss all the matters concerning international community’s development and peace and security and human rights.

You said that Denmark is a small country. Denmark may be a small country geographically or in terms of population, but Denmark is a big country with a big and caring heart. You are a big champion of development and human rights and global vision [on issues] like energy and climate change, and gender empowerment.

It has been a great pleasure for me always to talk and work with Danish people and Danish Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt and also Minister Lidegaard.

This time, just not to repeat what the Foreign Minister briefed you about all the issues which we have discussed; before our extensive meeting, where we dealt with all global issues like climate change, the Ebola outbreak and terrorism, we discussed other regional conflicts issues which he elaborated. I will not repeat it.

Before that, I had a very good meeting this morning with Climate Minister Petersen, and before that last evening, I was very pleased to have an opportunity to meet with business leaders hosted by the Foreign Minister.

There, we talked about how the United Nations and governments of the world can work very closely with business communities in addressing many global challenges, particularly climate change.

Today I was very pleased and encouraged to participate in this launching conference of this Fifth Assessment Report of the IPCC [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change]. This is a wake-up call for the leaders of the world, government and business communities and all seven billion people of the international community that unless we take immediate and decisive action today, we will have to regret for what will affect us and also succeeding generations.

The IPCC synthesis report has clearly stated without any ambiguity and with greater certainty that it is human influence which has been causing this climate change phenomenon, but at the same time, encouragingly, they presented some options that if we take action now we may not still be too late to put us all global population and our planet earth onto a sustainable path by containing and limiting global temperature rise within below two degrees Celsius. This is what we have before us. And we are committed, I am committed, to work together with the Member States, including the Danish Government, to make this world better and sustainable for all. And I thank you very much for your leadership and hospitality.

[Inaudible question on the role of business, which the journalist suggested could be a “Plan B” for business]

SG: At this time I do not have a plan B. We are working on plan A because we don’t have planet B. I am encouraged that there was such strong commitment from the business communities. When I convened the Summit meeting on climate change on September 23rd in New York, 800 world business leaders came and they pledged that they will work closely with their national government and, more importantly, with the United Nations to address jointly and commonly, this climate change.

They pledged at that time at least $200 billion to use all this money for green economy and climate-friendly, environment friendly business activities. When I met yesterday with many world business leaders, including pension fund companies, I strongly advised and encouraged them to invest their money to fund wisely climate-friendly renewable resources of energy. Because we can as much as possible quickly turn our fossil-fuel-based economic model to renewable energy and alternative resources of energy. That has been my advice to them. Without full participation and commitment of business community and civil society, it will be very difficult for governments to lead this campaign. Thank you.

[Inaudible question on the IPCC report and the SG’s message to leaders, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel]

SG: I have full trust and confidence in the work of the scientists of the IPCC. This has been most comprehensive report and research by the world class scientists. There is much greater clarity and no ambiguity that climate change is happening much, much faster than we may think. Therefore there is no time to lose for us. We have to take action on it.

And my message to world leaders, including Chancellor Merkel, is that all leaders, I hope, will read this report. This will give them good global vision in their leadership. I need strong political leadership of world leaders depending upon their national priorities. Based on global vision, I think we can make a huge difference. Of course all their policies will have to be supported by the people on the ground and business communities who have capacity. We have to mobilize necessary money and funds. There was firm agreement expressed during my climate summit meeting; first, let us reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In that regard I highly applaud and commend the European Union leaders who have agreed to cut 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. Let’s mobilize money and markets, and let’s strengthen the resilience of our society. Let’s have carbon pricing. And all these are some important actions which we need to take. I count on the leaders of the world to read this report and implement. Thank you very much.

[Inaudible question on whether Denmark should recognize Palestine]

SG: Well, it is sovereign decision; whatever course it may take by the Danish Government. As you remember, the General Assembly has granted observer status to Palestinian Authority and this is what Member States have [decided]. But I’m aware of countries like Sweden that have decided to recognize, but this is a prerogative and their sovereign decision, not a matter for the Secretary-General.

[Inaudible question on new climate initiatives to maintain momentum]

SG: It’s important that Member States and the United Nations working together should continuously build upon this momentum generated by huge support of leaders from government, business and civil society.

We have several important milestones ahead. First will come in Germany the pledging conference for the Green Climate Fund. I hope that Member States will generously donate their contributions to operationalize this Green Climate Fund. As you know, we have to mobilize $100 billion a year by 2020 and thereafter $100 billion to help developing countries to adapt [to and] mitigate this climate change phenomenon. We have the Lima Conference summit meeting, what we call COP20. Then thereafter we have a very important occasion by the first quarter of next year, 2015, that Intended Nationally Determined Contributions, INDC, I expect that all the Member States will pledge their national priorities and national commitment in addressing climate change which will be the basis of negotiations. Then we will have in June at the General Assembly, the President of the General Assembly is going to convene a high-level General Assembly session on climate change. Then we will have 70th anniversary of the United Nations’ founding where I expect that all the leaders of the world will come and adopt and declare sustainable development goals as their vision targeting by 2030. There, climate change takes a very important part. Then we will meet in Paris in December where I expect we will adopt the universal, meaningful climate change agreement as Member States have pledged. [Those are] our important milestones. I am confident that with strong support and energy and strength and excitement and commitment generated during the September summit meeting and now here in Copenhagen through this release of the IPCC’s report, I am sure that we will be able to make it happen. Thank you.