10 August 2009: Speaking in Seoul, Republic of Korea, at the 39th World Federation of UN Associations Plenary Assembly, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed that climate change is “the greatest collective challenge we face as a human family.”

He stated that climate change compounds the multiple crises we currently face – namely food, energy, financial and flu – and underscored the need for “a renewed multilateralism.” He noted that “we have less than ten years to halt the global rise in greenhouse gas emissions if we are to avoid catastrophic consequences for people and the planet.” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon added that the Copenhagen climate change conference provides an opportunity to put in place a climate change agreement that all nations can embrace, and urged seizing this “once-in-a-generation chance.” [The speech][UN press release]