UK Prime Minister: 'No Plan B' for Resolving Climate Change

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown made challenging remarks to world leaders this week, asking them to urgently hammer out a deal to lower carbon emission standards in order to avoid, "the catastrophe of unchecked climate changed," sources reported.

"In every era, there are one or two moments when nations must come together and reach agreements that make history because they change the course of history and Copenhagen must be such time," said Brown, referring to the U.N.'s scheduled meeting about climate change in December. "There are now fewer than 50 days to set the course for the next few decades."

Speaking to a group of representatives from the world's largest producers of greenhouse gases, Brown cited recent effects of climate change including droughts, floods and heat waves to illustrate the urgency of taking strong action before the end of 2009.

"If we do not reach a deal at this time, let us be in no doubt: Once the damage from unchecked emissions growth is done, no retrospective global agreement in some future period can undo that choice. By then it will be irretrievably too late."

"We cannot afford to fail, if we fail now, we will pay a heavy price," the prime minister continued. "If we act now, if we act together if we act with vision and resolve success at Copenhagen is still within our reach. But if we falter the earth will itself be at risk, and for the planet there is no plan B."

Brown also announced his plans to attend the Copenhagen meeting in person while calling other world leaders to follow suit if plans regarding climate policies do not solidify in the coming weeks.

Leaders currently expected to attend the December conference include Danish Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, while few others have shown interest in meeting Brown's challenge.

Regarding President Barack Obama's participation, United States' climate envoy Todd Stern told the Associated Press that prospects are slim.

"We're not writing anything off ... but we treat this as a ministerial meeting," he said.

Criticism has mounted towards the U.S. for slow progress in producing a clear position on carbon emission policies. Some fear that without major policy changes from the U.S., negotiations at Copenhagen will falter.

Others, however, have been more optimistic, including Sweden's environment minister, Andreas Carlgren, who commented that those involved in negotiations are, "more in agreement about how the financial system should be managed, and there is also shared support for the idea that developing countries should be included and have their say in the management of the system."

British Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband said that clinching a deal has proven to be an "uphill struggle," although Monday's meeting brought some hope for reaching a successful conclusion.

"This is absolutely not a done deal," Miliband told AP after the meeting. Still, he said, "I feel it's more doable today than I did yesterday."

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