23 June 2009: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon held a joint press conference in New York, US, on 23 June 2009, with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Paul Dickinson, CEO of the Carbon Disclosure Project, to highlight major events in the last quarter of 2009 to promote action on climate change.

Stressing that climate change is “the greatest challenge facing this and future generations,” Ban stressed the need to push for urgent action from world leaders and every citizen of the world. He highlighted that he is convening a Climate Change Summit at UN Headquarters on 22 September 2009, aimed at mobilizing political momentum needed to seal the deal in Copenhagen on a fair, effective and scientifically ambitious new climate framework. Noting that the response to climate change by the world’s governments “has been less than sufficient,” he urged immediate action from the grassroots, “from Main Street to Wall Street and beyond.” With the City of New York and the NGO community, he launched Climate Week NYC, which will be held throughout the week of the Summit. [UN Press Release]