Secretary-General's Remarks at Joint Press Conference with Danish Prime Minister, Mr. Lars Rasmussen [Transcript]

I have also been holding meetings with the many world leaders on climate change. I am encouraged by their shared desire to achieve a successful outcome next month in Copenhagen.

My message to all the world leaders here today has been simple: stay focused, stay committed and come to Copenhagen and seal a deal?a deal that is ambitious, a deal that is equitable, a deal that satisfies the demands of science.

The momentum for success is growing by the day and agreement is well within reach. Each week brings new commitments and pledges, including the most recently-formed China and United States and others. These positive developments are very heartening and essential for making strong progress at the negotiations.

Our common goal is to achieve a firm foundation for a legally binding treatise as early as possible in 2010.

We are looking for a strong commitment in five areas.

First, ambitious mid-term targets from developed countries

Secondly, ambitious mitigation actions by the developing countries that can limit the growth of emissions to below “business as usual”

Third, an ambitious adaption framework for all countries

Fourth, financing and technological support for developing countries and

Fifth, a transparent and equitable governance structure to manage and deploy these resources.

Among them, financing is the key. In the short term we look to the developed world to provide at least $10 billion in fast-track funding annually over the next three years until 2012. With this money, we can jump-start low emission caused in developing countries.

We must also limit deforestation and finance immediate adaptation measures. Long term finance is also critical. Copenhagen must identify the means by which the sources beyond the next three years can be generated at the scale needed. An agreement in Copenhagen that clearly addresses all the building blocks of Bali Action Plan will be a success. We need to get every country on board.

Prime Minister Rasmussen and I are asking world leaders from all countries to come to Copenhagen in the final days of this crucial conference. Only leaders can deliver the agreement the world needs. We must not fail. Success in Copenhagen is in sight. We must seize the moment to seal the deal.

Thank you very much.

Q: Secretary-General, Canada's in a bit of a unique position. Here is a developed country, energy producer, that seems to be resisting some of the broader cuts that other countries are demanding. Do you see Canada as an obstacle, one of the countries that's an obstacle in Copenhagen? And what is your message to Prime Minister Harper?

SG : Many countries, developed and developing countries have come out with ambitious targets and Canada as one of the leading G8 countries and G20, Canada is soon going to chair the G8, therefore it is only natural that Canada should come out with ambitious written target as soon as possible.

Q: Secretary-General, you said you addressed the Commonwealth leaders, what was the response from them after you addressed them in terms of the climate change. And, I would also like you to comment on the India/China, the Agreement which was signed recently, where they are going to Copenhagen as one body and both countries, do not want to lower their emissions so that it will not affect the development of their countries. So there is no agreement with the developing world in that aspect.

SG: First of all, as for the discussions with the Commonwealth leaders, I understand Prime Minister Manning, as Chair of this meeting will have an opportunity of briefing you sometime tomorrow. They are now working on a statement which will be issued in the name of the Commonwealth.

If I may say in general, I am sure that Prime Minister Rasmussen will agree with my observation: first of all, this meeting has been very constructive, very useful, and we were both very encouraged by such a strong commitment, the political will expressed by the leaders of the Commonwealth Community. They all wished and hoped, very strongly, that there must be a deal in Copenhagen for the future of humanity, and for both developing and developed countries.

There were some serious concerns raised, particularly by the Alliance of Small Island States, (AOSIS), for their very imminent threat. I fully shared the challenges and plight of small island developing countries and there were strong wishes and again views of their concerns, particularly the most vulnerable small island developing countries and the least developed countries, their concerns should be addressed as a priority. This is my overall observation but I am sure that Prime Minister Manning will brief you.

Q: I have a question for you Secretary-General and to you, Prime Minister, Rasmussen. Recognizing that the issue of climate change is of essence to development, what are the strategies that the UN is putting in place to ensure that Copenhagen does not become a talk shop and also to the effect that the developed countries are free to violate than the developing countries, because it has an effect on all of them. So I want to know from you, from your standpoint, what are you putting in place to ensure that as we all expect it will be a success and the road map will be followed.

So the Prime Minister, my question to you is that you've been interacting with most of your colleagues, I sense trepidation within most of you when you talk. You all are saying that the Copenhagen Summit should be the success. As you interact with your colleagues from the developed world on that, what is the commitment you people are taking to the place to ensure that the Summit becomes a success for which reason the whole world can gain. Thank you.

SG: First of all, Copenhagen will not be a talk shop. It will be a very substantive and concrete negotiating process. As I said, and as Prime Minister Rasmussen said, we will come out with a very concrete foundation for a legally-binding treaty as soon as possible in 2010. This is our firm commitment. This was expressed in a summit meeting which I convened in September in the United Nations. More than a hundred leaders committed themselves and there was a very high level of political commitment by the leaders and this, we have witnessed again in this Commonwealth States Summit meeting today.

Now I am convinced as Prime Minister Rasmussen said and optimistic that we will come out with a strong, very concrete and substantial agreement in Copenhagen. Climate change is clearly a part of development strategy. Climate change and all these development issues are closely interconnected. That is why immediately after Copenhagen agreement is adopted, I plan to establish a high level panel on climate change and development for a sustainable development strategy. This is what we are very much committed to.

Q: Question to the Secretary General: It is not the first time, and I am sure you do not need me to tell you that the developed world has made financial commitments and they have not delivered on it. The last time was in Bonn at a far lower level, $400 odd millions annually, and they have not delivered on that. What is going to make them deliver at this even higher level?

The second question is, both of you, do you feel that it is fair to make a measurement of emissions, greenhouse gases, on the basis of per capita or absolute emissions?

SG: I admit that there has been some gap in trust. Whatever commitment has been made should have been delivered. These are basic principles. On this climate change, we are addressing a very seriously important issue which affects the future of humanity and this planet earth. Therefore the leaders and the whole world have been very seriously engaged in these negotiations.

We are trying our best efforts to seal a deal in Copenhagen. We have had many rounds of summit level meetings at a high level, ministerial meetings, negotiations meetings. I think we are quite close to seal a deal in Copenhagen. That is based on how we can forge all our strong commitments, based on mutual trust.

The $10 billion as a fast track funding facility over three years is a part of efforts to bridge the gap between developing and developed countries. This is welcomed by many developing countries and we are now talking about the medium and long-term financial and technological support package.

The idea has already been tabled. This idea will be very seriously discussed. We will ensure that these financial and technological supports will have to be delivered and committed. There should be and will be monitoring mechanisms. I have told you that one of five areas we are looking at is an equitable and very effective governance structure to manage and deploy all the resources. This will be a very important structure.

Q: Mr. Secretary General, just a few weeks ago, we have the food summit in Rome and one of the findings that came out of that was that 1.6 billion people are right now starving. That is what is going on now not to take anything from climate change which is for the future.

My question is: Is there any aspect of the talks in Copenhagen which will take into consideration what went on in Rome before, considering that it is still debatable if Rome the Rome talks were successful or not.

The second part of that question is: what is your take on developing countries having a proper agricultural policy both to forestall and climate change as well as to deal with starvation?

SG: First of all, as everybody will agree, climate change has been affecting all the full spectrum of our lives. It has caused food security, water scarcity and diseases and even political instability - which has been caused by all this shortages of water and food.

Therefore, climate change needs to be addressed in a comprehensive manner. This is part of addressing and ensuring sustainable development. Recently, there was a very important food summit meeting in Rome and I emphasized that without addressing climate security, there cannot be food security. This may be applied to all the problems which we have: poverty issues, diseases and even political instability.

That is why we are now looking at this in a broader and more comprehensive manner. That is why I told you that we will immediately establish a high level panel to address a broader and comprehensive way in addressing climate change in the course of implementing these recommendations and this agreement which will be adopted in Copenhagen and beyond. This is what I can tell you at this time.