Leaders Call for Ambitious Deal at UN Climate Change Conference

The historical United Nations Climate Change Conference Opens Monday in the Danish capital of Copenhagen. During the opening ceremony, leaders and top UN climate officials called for a ambitious and operational deal to halt climate change. The conference, which gathers delegates from 192 countries, is considered the most important meeting on climate change.

Our European correspondent Li Ningjing reports.

The conference was opened by the host, Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen. In his remarks, Rasmussen says global warming respects no borders and already affects many people around the world. He urges participating parities to overcome their differences and turn political will into strong common approach to forge an ambitious agreement that will provide for effective global solutions.

"One hundred and ten heads of state and government have announced that they will be coming to Copenhagen next week to participate in the concluding days of this Conference. Their presence reflects an unprecedented mobilizations of political determination to combat climate change. It represents a huge opportunity. An opportunity the world cannot afford to miss."

The conference also heard scientific predictions on the grave impact that global warming brings to the world.

During his emotional speech to the conference, Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, told the conference of the tragic story of a child who lost both parents and a younger brother during a devastating cyclone. The top UN climate official stresses to prevent repetition of such tragedies, the conference must deliver.

"Copenhagen will only be a success if it delivers significant and immediate action that begins the day the conference ends. In the week ahead, the focus needs to be on crafting solid and practical proposals that will unleash prompt action on mitigation, adaptation, finance, technology, REDD and capacity-building."

The two week conference gather 15,000 delegates from governments and NGOs around the world and 3,500 international journalists are reporting the event. Talks will mainly focus on setting ambitious emission reduction targets, particularly for developed nations, and financial and technical support to developing countries. But it's in these areas where division's wide.

Now political momentum is strong, and hopes are high, but whether world leaders will be able to seal an ambitious climate change deal, we shall still wait and see.

Li Ningjing, CRI News, Copenhagen.