YEARENDER: More to United Nations than climate change, Ban insists

New York - Climate change was made a United Nations priority issue at the beginning of 2009 by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon - positive that the major summit scheduled for Copenhagen at the end of the year would end with an agreement. And to illustrate his belief that a climate deal would save future generations from the calamities of climate change, Ban made dramatic, high-profile visits to the Antarctic and North Pole for first-hand looks at the ice caps shrinking under rising temperatures.

But Ban is also ready to move on to other pressing global issues if the climate summit does not immediately produce a solid agreement on deep cuts in greenhouse emissions and on funding for green technology and developing nations.

The South Korean UN chief was unabashed in cheering on governments to "seal a deal" in Copenhagen. But he also makes clear he has a list of other global challenges to present to world leaders if a final deal is not reached in the Danish capital this weekend.

Before leaving New York for Copenhagen as heads of state and government join the two-weeks-long talks, Ban explained his view of climate-change negotiations.

By insisting he and the UN merely hosted and "facilitated" the summit, Ban distanced himself the talks - and the blame - in case of a protracted fight between rich and poor countries.

The climate summit began on December 7 and was scheduled to end on Friday with an agreement that would replace the Kyoto Protocol that expires in 2012.

"It is the member states who negotiate, who propose certain ideas in all the aspects (of climate talks)," Ban said.

"The UN provides a forum. And I, as secretary general, try to facilitate ongoing negotiations, try to bridge the gap among groups of countries or among the proposals."

"That is why I have been meeting individually and collectively with a wide range of member states to help bridge the gap between the developing and developed countries," he said.

Since he began his five-year term in 2007, Ban has pushed hard to solve issues that defeated his predecessors - ranging from poverty to conflicts like that in the Middle East.

Climate change almost become Ban's fixation, driven by pressure from UN members and groups pushing for a strong agreement to succeed the Kyoto Protocol.

But he is careful to say the UN is only a fixer and mediator, without promising that solutions would be found during his tenure.

As climate negotiations intensified throughout 2009 and appeared headed for collapse in Copenhagen, Ban boldly urged governments to work harder.

And while for many months it was not clear if all heads of state and government would even attend, in the end, leaders one after the other threw their weight into the ring. The snow-ball effect even caught up US President Barack Obama, who initially had only intended to put in a mid-way appearance but now plans to arrive for the all- important final day Friday.

"Ever since taking office, almost three years ago, you have heard me speak on climate change as the defining challenge of our era," Ban said this week as developing countries clashed with rich ones at the climate summit in Copenhagen.

"At every stop, at every turn, I have stressed that climate change is the leading political and economic issue of our time," he said. "Now is the moment to act."

But asked what would happen if governments fail to agree in Copenhagen, Ban said cryptically, "the biggest challenges are still ahead."

In fact, Ban has not forgotten that the UN is faced with many other long-standing issues as thorny and as difficult to settle as climate change.

They include: development in poor countries, particularly Africa; the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a set of targets to be achieved by 2015 like ending poverty, providing education to all children and halting the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Notably, a review of the MDGs is scheduled in the UN General Assembly in 2010.

"In the past three years, the UN has been able to lead in many important issues, like food insecurity, and many challenges in humanitarian issues," he said.

"Let me continue my work as hard as I can with your support," he said when asked to enumerate his achievements in the past three years.