UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday urged the United States to play a leading role in combating global warming.
"The cost of inaction will be far greater than the cost of action," Ban said in a clear reference to the U.S. reluctance to take action in curbing greenhouse gas emissions.
Ban arrived in San Francisco on Thursday for a two-day visit, during which he will lean about the state's aggressive efforts to curb green house gas emissions.
"The whole planet earth is at a crucial juncture," Ban told an audience of 1,300 people at an event organized by the World Affairs Council of Northern California.
"If you (the U.S.) take leadership, I think we can save this planet earth from plunging into a very difficult situation," Ban said.
The U.N. "should be at the forefront of generating strong political will" needed to confront global warming, but the United States – as a major emitter of greenhouse gasses and a leader in technological innovation – is in the best position to bring change, he said.
Ban said he has made climate change a top priority of his tenure as U.N. secretary-general and has invited world leaders, including President George W. Bush, to attend a high-level U.N. conference to discuss the issue in September.
Ban will meet with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday and tour a San Jose business that is developing the technology that may help countries reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
"The Secretary-General has made climate change one of his top priorities at the UN and has taken swift action, calling for world leaders to work together to develop a global consensus on fighting global climate change," Schwarzenegger said in a statement e-mailed to Xinhua on Thursday.
"I am eager to show the Secretary-General our state's advancements in technology that may help to reduce emissions and hope we can work with the United Nations on their commitment to building a global solution," said the governor.
Ban has stated that he looks forward to seeing firsthand how California is leading the world on the important issue of climate change.
Schwarzenegger has announced the world's first Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) for transportation fuels that requires fuel providers to reduce the carbon intensity of transportation fuels sold in California.
This first-of-its kind standard firmly establishes sustainable demand for lower-carbon fuels but without favoring one fuel over another. By 2020 the standard will reduce the carbon intensity of California 's passenger vehicle fuels by at least 10 percent.
