The head of the UN climate change secretariat expressed confidence that a new global agreement on climate change could be reached at a meeting in Copenhagen next year, despite disagreements at recent talks. Yvo de Boer made this statement during a speech at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris. The European Union and environmentalists have called for action on climate change, but the United States has been hesitant to take substantial steps. The Copenhagen meeting aims to establish a new treaty on reducing greenhouse gas emissions to replace the Kyoto Protocol after it expires in 2012. De Boer believes that increasing public awareness of the consequences of inaction on global warming will pressure governments to take necessary action, especially following the agreement reached at the Bali summit on climate change in the previous year. He stated that the world is anticipating a mutually agreed upon outcome in Copenhagen, just like how politicians couldn't leave Bali without starting negotiations. He believes that politicians should not leave Copenhagen without finalizing the deal. He emphasized that the new pact should be concise and concentrated, allowing national governments to mold and execute their own policies freely. He suggested that for the Copenhagen agreement to be truly successful, it should be brief and concentrate on essential issues that require an international agreement to be effective. He expressed hope that unnecessary elements would not be added to the agreement. Earlier, De Boer told reporters that the United States had been unable to take concrete action due to the ongoing presidential election. He expressed confidence that all major candidates in the race have demonstrated a genuine understanding of the necessity for action. De Boer declined to condemn the U.S. position, stating that Washington had acted responsibly by not making commitments that could impact a future administration. He expressed optimism for progress in the coming year.