Draft Excluder Dog Pattern

Ban Ki-moon to Antarctica to learn on global

AFP
KING ISLAND GEORGE (AP) - The United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Friday visited the Antarctic on a mission of information on the effects of global warming.

Ban Ki-moon, the first UN chief to visit Antarctica, and has made a priority of his mandate in the fight against global warming, met with scientists at the base Aviation Chilean Eduardo Frei before visiting the Collins Glaciers and meet his fellow researchers in South Korea's Sejong Research Centre.

Secretary General Kofi Annan flew over the area to an aircraft of the Chilean Air Force to realize the effect of global warming on the glaciers of the Antarctic continent.

"I am here as a messenger to deliver a warning about climate change and observe the impact of the phenomenon of global warming," said Mr. Ban Ki-moon to press upon his arrival.

The scientists on the basis inter alia submitted to the UN secretary general examples of melting glaciers in Antarctica and the southern Andes.

They cited the case of an expanse of ice called Platform Larsen, covering 400 square kilometers and has melted in 20 days and that of Hannah Point Glacier has retreated 120 meters in a few years.

"We have resources, we have technologies and funding" to fight global warming, has yet said Ban Ki-moon at the end of his brief visit. "All we lack is political will. I am here to galvanize such political will."

"It's an emergency. An emergency request for an emergency," he said.

Ban Ki-moon, who has spent half past two in the Antarctic has to go Sunday to Brazil to meet with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.