UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has asked world leaders to seal a climate change deal in Denmark that is ambitious, equitable and satisfies demands of science.

Addressing the climate change session of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting on Friday at Hyatt Hotel, Trinidad and Tobago, Ban said climate change affected all the spectrum of human life such as food, water, disease and political instability.

"Copenhagen will not be a talk show," he said. "The world is on the move. My message to you today is simple. Stay focused, stay committed, 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. We cannot afford to fail. The costs are simply too great."
Ban said every country must be on board.

He said the UN looked for strong commitments in five areas like ambitious midterm mitigation targets from industrialized countries.

Ban said there was need for ambitious mitigation actions by developing countries that limit the growth of their emissions to below business as usual.

He said there would be need for financing and technology to support developing countries.

Ban called for creation of a transparent and equitable governance structure to manage and deploy those resources that gives all countries a voice.
"Again financing is key," he said.

And addressing journalists afterwards, Ban said in the short-term there was need for the developed world to provide at least US $10 billion in fast track funding annually over the three years until 2012.

Asked if there was any more trust in finance pledges from the north given that they have always failed to meet lower budgets, Ban said it was true that there was a gap of trust.
"Whatever commitment that is made should have been delivered," he said.

"But climate change is addressing very important issue affecting the whole of humanity and planet earth. That US $10 billion is part of bridging the gap between the developed and developing countries. This financial aid should be delivered. With this money we can jumpstart low emission growth in developing countries, limit deforestation and finance immediate adaptation measures."

Ban said Commonwealth leaders were very constructive and had expressed political will over the deal under negotiation.
And Denmark Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said the vision for Copenhagen was "one Agreement - two purposes".

He said the Copenhagen Agreement must have a solid content covering all the Bali building blocks that include shared vision, mitigation, adaptation, finance, technology and capacity building.

Prime Minister Rasmussen said that would provide a strong impetus and guidance to further negotiations on a legal framework.

"Secondly, the agreement should provide for immediate action in all areas including mitigation, adaptation and finance," he said.
Prime Minister Rasmussen said significant up-front finance should support early adaptation and mitigation efforts as well as capacity building and technology cooperation.


"This twin-approach rests on the conclusion of a politically binding agreement that retains the overall aim of limiting global warming to a maximum of 2 degrees Celsius as called for by science," he said. "We should not postpone action until a legally binding instrument is agreed, signed and ratified, and effective.

We should capture the current political momentum and start combating global warming immediately. When I speak of the Copenhagen Agreement then I am not talking about an empty declaration with niceties but a document with precise language covering all aspects of the Bali road map. It is not a stepping stone, it's a turning point."

Prime Minister Rasmussen said Copenhagen was capable of delivering the turning point the world wanted.

"We know the problem, we know the solutions, we know what we need to do," he said. "From here on it is a matter of political will. We cannot risk turning climate change into another international issue negotiated into infinity. We must deliver to our citizens in Copenhagen."

Prime Minister Rasmussen said so far more than 85 heads of state and government had confirmed they would attend the summit.