Secretary-General's press conference at UN Climate Change Conference

Climate change affects everything the UN does –poverty, peace and security, development, and human rights.

We cannot sustain gains toward our Millennium Development Goals or preserve the ecosystems that sustain us, we cannot ensure safety and stability for the poor and vulnerable without progress on climate change.

But let us not think just of the risks, or how we are gambling with our future. Climate change also presents compelling opportunities for our future.

For cleaner air, better public health, short-term economic recovery and long-term growth, new jobs in the green industries that will power the global economy.

Let us not forget: Nature isn''t waiting while we negotiate.

Greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise. They are at unprecedented levels.

Climate impacts are increasing.

In just four decades, there will be nearly nine billion people on this planet.

How will we meet the needs of nine billion people while at the same time reducing emissions by 50 per cent or more, as scientists tell us that we must? This is what I have been saying: the “50-50-50” challenge.

We need to fundamentally transform the global economy –based on low-carbon, clean energy resources.

We need to invest trillions of dollars in better energy infrastructure, starting today.

The longer we delay, the more we will lose –economically, environmentally, and in human lives.

There is no single magic solution to climate change. We need to make progress wherever we can, and keep moving forward in the right direction.

I do not expect governments to reach an all-encompassing global agreement here in Cancun.

But we need to see progress on all fronts of the negotiations.

Some important decisions are ripe for adoption: on protecting forests, which account for 17 per cent of global emissions, on climate adaptation, technology, and some elements of finance.

We also need to see progress on the challenging issues of mitigation, transparency and accountability, and additional clarity on the future of the Kyoto Protocol.

Let me say a word on climate change financing. First, on fast-start finance.

In Copenhagen, developed nations made political commitments to provide developing countries with $30 billion for the period from 2010 to 2012 for adaptation and mitigation.

So far, pledges have been encouraging, and are approaching the target.

However, we need to make progress on the actual delivery of funds, along with a transparent and robust accountability system.

We can also advance the discussion on long-term financing. In Copenhagen, developed countries agreed to pursue $100 billion annually by 2020.

In order to advance this agenda, I convened a very distinguished group of eminent personalities to develop the thinking further. The group, led by Prime Ministers Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia and [Jens] Stoltenberg of Norway –who are here with us in Cancun –concluded that $100 billion annually will be challenging but feasible, and presented a range of options for how it could be achieved.

The range of options have been introduced to the Parties here in Cancun and it is now up to them to build on these in the negotiations.

Finally, in addition to progress in the negotiations, we also need to see increased action on the ground by all countries.

At the end of the day, we need results, results that curb global greenhouse gas emissions and that strengthen the ability of communities to adapt to the impacts of climate change.

This is not a sprint, but a marathon.

It is important to keep taking determined steps forward.

People around the world are watching. They need their governments to act in their best long-term interests.

I urge governments to be flexible, and to negotiate in a spirit of compromise and common sense, for the good of all peoples.

Thank you. I will be happy to answer your questions

The Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, Ms. Figueres, is here to answer any questions you may have on the specifics of the negotiations. Thank you very much.

Q: Mr. Secretary-General, could you tell us what kind of role developing countries including China play in climate change? And what are your expectations on the future of the Kyoto Protocol?

SG: The Kyoto Protocol is the only legally binding agreement to reduce emissions that we currently have. As such, it has both political and practical importance. Here in Cancun, I would hope that Member States would make progress even if they can''t reach a final agreement. Until countries can reach a definitive agreement on this issue, they will need to demonstrate seriousness of purpose and forward movement here in Cancun.

Q: Secretary-General, it seems that your team has been minimizing expectations for the outcome here in Cancun [inaudible]. Can you help us identify which countries and issues are obstacles?

SG: There were high expectations, may be too much expectations in Cancun, last year –in Copenhagen, I am sorry. This year in Cancun, I think we need to be practical and realistic. But that does not mean that we have not been making progress. We have been making progress during the last year, since Copenhagen. Although Copenhagen has not met the expectations of every country or everybody, but it has laid down very important, fundamental elements on which we have been building. Now, we need to make progress on all the fronts, all across the board. Among them, I would expect that delegations could make progress in four areas: first of all, deforestation, known as REDD+ adaptation technological transfer and finance. I am going to have a meeting with Prime Minister Stoltenberg [of Norway] and Prime Minister Meles of Ethiopia who have been working as co-chairs on climate change financing issues. You have already seen the report. We made good progress. And, as I said earlier in my statement, this fast start, this target is now approaching. On deforestation and forest degradation, under the leadership of Prime Minister Stoltenberg also, we have made good progress. We hope that there will be some significant agreement on that. On adaptation, we need to provide all necessary assistance so that the most vulnerable group of countries and people can adapt to these changing situation. On technology transfer, we hope that this cutting-edge green technology could be disseminated as widely and as soon as possible to developing countries. So those are the areas where we expect that progress can be made. But I hope that, without waiting, everything can be finalized. We need to make progress wherever and in the areas where they can generate actions on the ground.

Q: But could you please identify where the problems are? Could you identify the countries and the problems please?

SG: First of all, national governments should make firm commitments for their national mitigation targets. And we need to do more on generating this financing. There are several others, of course, but you know the positions of the countries.

[Ms. Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UNFCC, follows up on the question]

Q: [inaudible –on the $30 billion pledged by developed countries for developing countries for the 2010-2012 period]

SG: As I said in my earlier remarks, this target of $30 billion is approaching. I am encouraged that countries are committing themselves to this $30 billion fast-start funding. In Copenhagen, the European Union and Japan had committed $10 billion each already, and the United States also committed some. There are certain gaps which we need to fill, but I think we should be able to have that $30 billion ready for developing countries. We need to make progress on transparency of the actual delivery of funds along with a rigorous and robust accountability system. I have been urging governments in this regard, since this is crucially important, to bridge the gap of trust between developing and developed countries.