Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan expressed hope on Tuesday that a climate change agreement could be reached with the support of the US under Barack Obama's administration. Speaking at the Global Humanitarian Forum, he emphasized the urgency of taking action to prevent severe weather events that will worsen with global warming. Annan stressed the importance of not delaying action, as the consequences will only become more severe over time. The forum, attended by UN agency heads, government officials, and experts, focused on practical ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address the impacts of global warming. Annan emphasized the need for a deal in Copenhagen in December to succeed the Kyoto accord. Annan expressed optimism about the new president and administration in the United States taking significant steps to combat climate change, as the US is a major source of emissions. More than 190 countries will convene in Copenhagen to discuss a successor to the Kyoto Protocol, which regulates greenhouse gas emissions. Economic stimulus efforts globally have also led to increased investment in low-carbon energy and alternative technologies, potentially creating jobs and promoting sustainable projects. However, climate experts have cautioned that current pledges by industrialized nations to reduce emissions by 2020 are insufficient to prevent dangerous climate change. The emissions reductions pledged by developed countries leading up to the meeting in December now range from 10 to 14 percent below 1990 levels, according to calculations by Reuters. The UN Climate Panel states that cuts need to be in the range of 25-40 percent below 1990 levels to prevent the most severe impacts of climate change.