11 November 2009: During a visit to Washington DC, US, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon met with US Congressional leaders to discuss the status of international climate change negotiations.
In an ensuing joint press encounter with Senator John Kerry, Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Richard Lugar and Senator Joe Lieberman, Ban urged the US to take a leading role in the negotiations and in the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, which he said must conclude with “a robust, global agreement that can serve as a foundation for a climate treaty.” Noting support in the Senate for action on climate change, as well as some “lingering doubts” about the costs of taking action in the context of the economic crisis, he stressed that the costs are insignificant compared with the costs of inaction.
[UN Press Release][Press Conference Transcript]