UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed optimism about combating climate change, highlighting the world’s collective efforts to “mobilize for a better future.” Mr. Ban was speaking to the press at the start of the High Level Segment of the 22nd Conference of Parties (COP22) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), on 15 November 2016, in Marrakech, Morocco. He noted that the Paris Agreement had entered into force “in record time” in the history of the UN, with 109 countries – representing 75 per cent of global greenhouse gas emitters – having ratified the Agreement to-date.