U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio met this week for a sit-down back-pat for each other’s efforts to combat climate change — a get-together being heralded by diplomats as a sign of the world’s readiness to join an international treaty.
The United Nations is hoping a September summit on climate change might push forward a Framework Convention on Climate Change, in advance of the 2015 deadline for its hoped-for implementation, CBS reported.
Simultaneously, New York City is pushing for various environmental regulations aimed at offsetting and preventing a similar Hurricane Sandy coastline devastation, and Mr. de Blasio has picked up a reputation as a go-to green administrator. The city has scheduled its own Climate Week to coincide with the U.N. summit, CBS reported.
Mr. Ban, in a meeting with Mr. de Blasio, praised the mayor’s push to make the city “green,” CBS reported. In return, Mr. de Blasio gave the U.N. head some high-fives of his own.
“[Ban’s been] pushing the nations of the world to grapple with this issue and take action,” Mr. de Blasio said, CBS reported. Mr. de Blasio also called the upcoming city and U.N. conferences on climate change “a crucial moment for the world,” he said, CBS reported.
“A crucial moment for this world,” he repeated, “[and] literally one of the moments where we believe there’s an opportunity for real progress on what is arguably one of the most fundamental issues facing the entire globe.”
SPECIAL COVERAGE: Energy & Environment
CBS reported the two leaders shared an evident chemistry — an observation bolstered by Mr. Ban’s own statements as he department the meeting.
“I like him. I invited him to the Climate Summit — he is committed to making it work,” Mr. Ban said, CBS reported. “New York is the city that never sleeps. The United Nations works around the clock, around the world, to address global challenges.”
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.