Developed nations should take additional measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and encourage energy efficiency because the world's atmosphere has the highest concentration of harmful carbon gas in 600,000 years, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Thursday, according to dpa. Ban's appeal came ahead of World Environment Day on June 5, which this year is to focus on the theme "Melting Ice: A Hot Topic." "Society's dependence on fossil fuels is jeopardizing social and economic progress and our future security," Ban said in a message, emphasizing the need for political will to act on the issue. "Developed countries in particular can do more to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and encourage energy efficiency," he said. Ban said rich nations should support programmes to curb carbon emissions and clean development should be a priority in fast-growing economies such as Brazil, China and India. Countries that could face the greatest hardships as a result of global warming also need help. "On this World Environment Day, let us recognize the need to slow the momentum of the dramatic environmental changes we are seeing at the Arctic poles and around the globe, and let us pledge to do our part to fight climate change," he said. He said the clearest evidence of climate change can be detected in polar regions, which are warming up at twice the average speed of the rest of the earth. The ice caps at the poles are diminishing and centuries old permafrost is thawing faster than expected.
