UN chief: Copenhagen deal crucial

With negotiations on climate change due to begin in Copenhagen in less than a month, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon says a climate change agreement is crucial and time should not be lost to reach a deal.

Ban Ki-Moon, UN Secretary General, said, "Climate change is the leading geo-political and economic issue of this century, the 21th century. These are crucial days, we only have 4 weeks to go before Copenhagen, next month. From the moment I took office as secretary general I urged leaders of the world to make climate change a top priority."

Ban Ki-moon made the remarks in Athens during a speech to the Greek parliament. He says developed countries need to commit to ambitious targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 25 to 40 percent.

He also calls on developing countries to take their own nationally appropriate mitigation actions.

Meanwhile, Ban says developing countries should be supported financially and technologically in fighting climate change.