8 December 2009: In a question and answer session held at UN Headquarters in New York, US, the UN Secretary-General emphasized that the outcome of the ongoing climate change negotiations in Copenhagen will have reverberations for the future of humanity and the planet.
He confirmed that he would be opening the high-level segment of the conference on 15 December and expressed his optimism that a “robust agreement” that “will be effective immediately and include specific recommendations on mitigation, adaptation, finance and technology” would be reached. He underscored unprecedented momentum for an agreement, noting that over 100 Heads of State and government had indicated their intention to attend the high-level segment of the conference. Ban answered questions on: the measure of success in Copenhagen; the impact of the email scandal; and the financial support required by developing countries. [Q+A Session Transcript]