·The largest-ever high-level meeting on climate change concluded Monday evening in NY.
·Ban urges a coalition to accelerate a global response to climate change.
·Ban said  world leaders have demonstrated the political will to make a breakthrough.

    UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- The largest-ever high-level meeting on climate change, convened by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in an effort to forge a coalition to accelerate a global response to climate change and build international momentum for the major summit to be held in Bali, concluded Monday evening at the UN Headquarters in New York.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (R) opened the largest-ever gathering of world leaders on climate change on Sept.24, 2007. (Xinhua Photo)
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    Ban said in his closing remarks that climate change was "directly and constructively discussed at the highest level for the first time in history."

    He claimed that the "event has taken us into a new era," saying,"today I heard a clear call from world leaders for a breakthrough on climate change in Bali, and now I believe we have a major political commitment to achieving that."

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon opened the largest-ever gathering of world leaders on climate change on Sept.24, 2007.(Xinhua Photo)