Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.

It is a great pleasure to meet you in Conference Room 4. I understand that Room 226 is going to be renovated. I hope you will bear with this inconvenience for better facilities, better conditions. Again, I am pleased to have this press conference, for the first time together with my new Spokesperson, Mr. Martin Nesirky. You have already been working with him for two weeks. I am sure that you will continue to work with him very closely, with the responsibilities as a Spokesperson. I hope you will work with him amicably and harmoniously. Thank you very much.

As you know, I am on my way to Copenhagen this afternoon. But I wanted to come here before I get on the plane.

Ever since taking office, almost three years ago, you have heard me speak on climate change as the defining challenge of our era.

At every stop, at every turn, I have stressed that climate change is the leading political and economic issue of our time.

Now is the moment to act.

In Copenhagen, decades of effort will come down to this one critical week.

Seldom in history has a choice been so clear. We can move toward a future of sustainable green growth, or we can continue down the road to ruin.

We can act on climate change now, or we can leave it to our children and grand-children—a debt that can never be paid. It will threaten the future of our planet and its people.

Today, I appeal to all the world’s leaders who will join us in Copenhagen — some 115 heads of state and government — to do what this moment requires.

I call on the world’s leaders to lead.

Time is running out. There is no time left for posturing or blaming. Every country must do its part to seal a deal in Copenhagen.

I appeal, especially, to the negotiators working together at this very moment.

I appeal to them to redouble their efforts … to find the room for compromise … to make a final push in this final stretch.

If everything is left to leaders to resolve at the last minute, we risk having a weak deal — or no deal at all. And this would be a failure of potentially catastrophic consequence.

As we leave for Copenhagen, I am confident.

In recent weeks, we have seen new and unprecedented political momentum.

Every week has brought new commitments — from industrialized countries, emerging economies and developing countries.

In common purpose and shared resolve, governments are moving toward our common goal: to lay a foundation for a robust, fair and comprehensive agreement that can be turned into a legally binding climate treaty as early as possible in 2010.

Lately, there have been efforts to derail this progress.

Some have tried to claim that the science is unconfirmed.

They are wrong. The science is clear and settled. Climate change is real, we are the primary cause, and it is up to us – here and now – to deal with it.

Yes, the negotiations are difficult and complex.

Indeed, they are among the most ambitious ever to be undertaken by the world community.

But they are necessary.

Greenhouse gases continue to rise. Climate impacts are escalating. Nature does not negotiate.

In Copenhagen, we must summon the moral and political will to act in a spirit of compromise and common sense.

In recent weeks, I have consulted closely with developed and developing countries alike, seeking to build bridges …to strengthen trust … to encourage governments to forge a global deal for the global good.

In recent days, especially, I have been closely following developments in Copenhagen.

As I say, we always knew these negotiations would be difficult. We are seeing strong passions and hard bargaining.

But we also see tangible progress on core issues of technology cooperation and financing. We have reached substantial agreement on “fast track” funding for mitigation and adaptation.

Looking ahead, we need greater clarity on a robust finance package for the middle and longer-term. It is essential that we leave Copenhagen with a clear understanding of how we will meet the financing challenge through 2020.

We must also recognize that Copenhagen is only a beginning. Ultimately, success will be measured by our progress on the ground.

That is why, in Copenhagen, I will attend to some practical matters of implementing an agreement.

Recently, World Bank President Robert Zoellick and I sent a joint letter to an interested group of Heads of State and Government proposing how the UN system and the World Bank will work together to implement an agreement on deforestation and related issues. We will follow up in Copenhagen.

I will also launch the report of my advisory group on energy and climate change. The decisions we make on our energy future will have far-reaching implications for climate change and development.

Finally, I am pleased to announce that I will appoint Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai as a Messenger for Peace on climate change issues. That ceremony will take place tomorrow afternoon in Copenhagen. Professor Maathai’s long record of achievement in environmental conservation and sustainable development makes her an excellent choice.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As we depart for Copenhagen, I am confident that a fair deal is within our reach … a deal that can be embraced by all nations, large and small, rich and poor.

Let me close by noting that two UN personnel from the African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), abducted in August, were freed yesterday after more than 100 days in captivity.

I appreciate the efforts of the Government of Sudan and others on their behalf and reiterate that the primary responsibility for the safety and security of all humanitarian and peacekeeping personnel lies with the Host Government.

Thank you and I will be happy to receive your questions.