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 UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, said that Brazil is an example of "green economy" that must be followed by the rest of the world. According to information supplied by BBC Brazil, the statement was made during an address at the opening of the ministerial phase of the UN climate change conference, in Poznan, Poland.
The secretary general said that progress in climate change must not be hindered by the current international economic crisis. "Yes, the economic crisis is serious. Yet when it comes to climate change, the stakes are even far higher. The climate crisis affects our potential prosperity and our peoples' lives, both now and far into the future," he said.
The conference is regarded as the middle of the path towards an agreement that will replace the Kyoto Protocol. At last year's conference, in Bali, leaders of almost 200 countries agreed upon the year of 2009 as the deadline for reaching a new treaty on reduction of emissions.
Since then, the countries involved have submitted proposals for the agreement, which are being evaluated at the conference in Poland.
In addition to Ban Ki-moon, leaders of 61 nations made speeches at the plenary of the conference.
The economic crisis and fear of a recession have already led to changes in the discourse of some countries, such as Germany, that used to be regarded as one of the countries that had the most ambitious goals for reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
On the sidelines of the conference in Poland, heads of State from the European Union should conclude, in Brussels, Belgium, their proposals for energy and climate policies. Reducing emission of gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect is one of the most controversial points.
The decisions made at this meeting should also impact upon negotiations in Poland. The leadership of the European Union is considered to be crucial, especially at a moment of economic crisis in which the United States are waiting for the new president, Barack Obama, to assume duties.
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