UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on the world to come together to create a new climate treaty by 2009, with specific greenhouse gas reductions to be determined following UN discussions in Bali. He emphasized the importance of reaching an agreement during the Dec. 3-14 meeting to begin negotiations on a successor to the Kyoto Protocol. Ban stressed the urgency of addressing climate change, describing it as a critical challenge requiring immediate action to address its various impacts. Despite disagreements among countries on the specifics of a new treaty, Ban urged swift action and emphasized the need for all nations to participate in efforts to limit greenhouse gas emissions. Washington has been resistant to including scientific evidence supporting significant reductions in emissions by 2020 in the negotiation guidelines. Ban stated that negotiations on this matter will need to take place in the future, with Washington sharing a similar perspective. He emphasized the importance of adhering to the U.N. climate panel's recommendation of a 25-40 percent reduction to mitigate the severe effects of climate change. Ban also stressed the need for a clear roadmap to address climate issues, with the goal of reaching an international agreement by 2009 at a meeting in Copenhagen. The United States, along with Japan, Canada, and Australia, argue that even a non-binding reference to a 25-to-40 percent range could impact the negotiations. Paula Dobriansky, US Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs, stated, "We do not want to predetermine the outcome of this process." However, the European Union maintained that wealthy nations must demonstrate leadership to persuade developing countries like China and India to reduce their emissions from fossil fuels. German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel emphasized the importance of establishing a starting point and clear goals for progress, rather than just planning to reconvene the following year. Ban urged all countries, including the United States, to exhibit flexibility. He also mentioned that while global warming poses a threat, it also presents an opportunity for innovative solutions that could generate employment and alleviate poverty in developing nations across Africa and Asia. Australia's new Prime Minister Kevin Rudd recently submitted formal documentation to Ban confirming the country's adherence to the Kyoto Protocol, marking the United States as the sole wealthy nation not bound by emission limits under the U.N. agreement until 2012. Rudd, whose Labor Party won a significant election triumph last month, noted that Australia is already feeling the effects of climate change, such as rivers drying up and disturbances to the Great Barrier Reef. He warned that current events could be a sign of things to come. The discussions are expected to conclude by Friday or early Saturday, as annual U.N. climate meetings typically involve intense negotiations and late-night sessions. The United Nations is aiming to reach an agreement by the end of 2009 so that parliaments have three years to ratify it, allowing for the direction of significant investments in various forms of energy production. The ratification process for the Kyoto Protocol, which came into effect in 2005, was delayed by the United States' decision not to join in 2001. Failure to initiate talks at Bali could jeopardize the development of a successor to the Kyoto Protocol. Currently, 36 Kyoto nations, including Australia, have committed to reducing emissions by an average of 5 percent below 1990 levels by 2008-12. The United States contends that the Kyoto agreement would harm its economy and unfairly does not include targets for major developing countries from 2008-2012.