聯合國秘書長潘基文15日抵達哥本哈根參與氣候會談，他於高層會議的開幕式中告誡，各國應該確實達成一項宏大的新協議，以限制造成暖化的溫室氣體排放。他警告說，全球人類福祉正危在旦夕，而各國領袖正面臨一個歷史上決定性的時刻。
130多國政府首長已確認將參加最後 3天的會議。潘基文說，這清楚地表明，氣候變遷已提升為最重要的全球議程。但他承認，所有來到哥本哈根的領導人都面臨來自國內的壓力，使得減排更難達成。
由於會議預期將於本週五(18日)結束，，潘基文敦促各國放下「獲益最多」的談判立場和「不合理」的要求。他表示「我們不能將談判再拖延一年」，「自然是不容妥協的。」
許多工業化國家欲將要京都議定書及哥本哈根會議結論整合為一個單一的協議。但是排放最少溫室氣體的開發中國家，想要在京都議定書第一承諾期結束後(即2012年)延長其效期。
潘基文表示，哥本哈根達成的協議必須包括五個關鍵因素。首先應對工業化國家設定更宏大的中期減排目標；第二，開發中國家應加腳步，減緩排放的增長。再來應設置調適衝擊的架構，進行資金和技術支持，以及透明和公平的環境治理。
他還強調，各國應制定出如何提供中期和長期財務機制，以加強氣候適應能力；並進一步限制伐林和低碳技術。
周一(14日)加州州長阿諾施瓦辛格與來自加拿大、奈及利亞、法國和阿爾及利亞的地方首長宣布了一項協議，即推動一個新的區域聯盟概念，以快速推動哥本哈根氣候會議的結論，並敦促各國中央政府對氣候變遷實行更迅速的行動與更強而有力的承諾。
同日，聯合國機構及其夥伴組織於哥本哈根舉行「人道主義日」，以提升氣候變遷造成人道傷害的意識。
聯合國人道事務副秘書長霍姆斯(John Holmes)表示，「氣候變化不是一些未來的抽象問題，而是一個正在發生於一般人身上的問題，特別是對於世界各地最貧窮和最弱勢的人們。」
同時身為聯合國緊急救災專員的霍姆斯提到，自然災害越來越頻繁且強大。今年死亡人口中，有四分之三的人是在極端氣候災難中喪生，這些天災在全球造成近150億美元的損失。
Arriving in Copenhagen today for the high-level segment of the United Nations climate change talks, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon exhorted nations to "seal the deal" on an ambitious new agreement to limit the greenhouse gas emissions that are warming the planet, warning that the well-being of all of the world's people is at stake. World leaders "face a defining moment in history," he told conference delegates.
More than 130 heads of state and government have confirmed their participation at the last three days of the conference, "clear proof that climate change has risen to the top of the global agenda," the secretary-general said. But he acknowledged that all leaders coming to Copenhagen face domestic pressures that make it more difficult to reduce emissions.
With the summit set to wrap up on Friday, Ban urged countries to put aside their "maximalist" negotiating positions and "unreasonable" demands. "We do not have another year to negotiate," he said. "Nature does not negotiate."
Many industrialized countries want to merge the Protocol and the outcome of the Copenhagen summit into a single agreement. But developing countries, the least responsible for greenhouse gas emissions, want to extend the Kyoto Protocol past 2012, when its first commitment period ends.
Ban said any deal must incorporate five key elements - more ambitious mid-term emissions reductions targets from industrialized countries; stepped-up efforts by developing nations to curb emissions growth; an adaptation framework; financing and technology support; and transparent and equitable governance.
He also underlined the need for countries to hammer out how to provide medium-term and long-term financing to bolster climate resilience, limit deforestation and further low-emissions technologies.
On Monday, Governor Schwarze
egger and subnational leaders from Canada, Nigeria, France and Algeria announced an agreement to advance the concept of a new regional coalition to fast track the results of the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference and push their respective national governments into more rapid actions and stronger commitments to fight climate change.
UN agencies and their partner organizations today held Humanitarian Day in Copenhagen in an effort to raise awareness of the humanitarian toll that climate change is already taking on vulnerable people.
"Climate change is not some abstract problem for the future," said John Holmes, UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs. "It's a problem which is happening right here and now and happening to ordinary people, particularly the poorest and most vulnerable populations around the world."
Holmes, who also serves as UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, cited the increasing number and intensity of natural disasters. More than three-quarters of those people who died in disasters this year lost their lives to climate-related extreme weather events, which caused nearly $15 billion in damages worldwide, the top United Nations official on disaster risk reduction said Monday.
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In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
