Ban calls for global support at Copenhagen

UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 13 (UPI) -- U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on all world leaders to attend the climate-change conference scheduled for December in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Copenhagen hosts a conference scheduled to commence Dec. 17 aimed at reaching a comprehensive agreement on climate change. The goal of the conference is to find a replacement for the Kyoto Protocol.

The Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012. Conference organizers describe an "urgent need" to develop a new climate regime to prevent climate changes and global warming.

Ban through his office said it was "essential" to move forward with a comprehensive measure at the highest level of governments and all sectors of society.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Brazilian President Lula Inacio da Silva have said they would attend the conference.

Ban visited U.S. lawmakers recently to encourage Washington to play a larger role in the climate-change regime.

"No country is more important than the United States in resolving this climate-change issue," he said.

In his latest statement, the secretary-general "strongly" encouraged all heads of state to take part in the Copenhagen conference.