(dpa) - The UN General Assembly opened Monday a debate on climate change, taking its cue from the Bali conference that devised negotiations for a new global deal on curbing carbon emissions that heat up the earth's atmosphere.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said governments at the Bali conference in Indonesia in December had declared their political will, which, combined with authoritative and compelling scientific evidence, should move forward the process of agreeing on a climate treaty to succeed the Kyoto Protocol that expires in 2012.
"Developed countries need to take a clear lead, but success is possible only if all countries act. The more ambitious the commitments by developed countries, the more actions we can expect from developing countries," Ban said.
The Bali conference set out a "road map" to complete negotiations on an international climate change agreement by the end of 2009 and which should take effect in 2012, once enough countries ratify the deal.
The UN has made climate change a top priority, involving the 192 member nations and UN agencies in the process. The two-day debate at UN headquarters was to allow governments and the private sector to discuss the technical and financial aspects of the global fight against climate change.