Welcoming United States President’s Announcement on Cutting Greenhouse Gas

Emissions, Secretary-General Calls for Bold Actions by All World Leaders

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General welcomes the important initiative announced today by President Barack Obama to limit emissions from the United States’ power plants, calling it a significant step towards reducing global greenhouse gas emissions that are disrupting the climate, exacerbating extreme weather patterns, and threatening human health, sustainable economic growth and development.

The Secretary-General calls on all countries to accelerate their efforts to reduce emissions and strengthen adaptation and resilience.  He calls on world leaders to take advantage of the unique opportunity provided by the climate summit he will host in September by bringing bold announcements and actions they will undertake nationally, as well as in multilateral and multi-stakeholder settings to address climate change.

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For information media • not an official record