Then, he criticized the current global consumerist model and demanded an economic revolution to overcome the environmental crisis. In order to achieve this, he invited many of the most controversial companies in the world.

UN authorities quoted by The Guardian on January 27th reported that Ban Ki-moon will redirect his efforts to promote advances at the UN international climate change talks and will focus them in a broader agenda to promote clean energy and sustainable development.

According to unknown sources, the Head of the UN arrived to the conclusion that world leaders are not ready to agree on a broad agreement on climate change -at least not in the next two years.

It was reported that the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change held in December 2009 in Copenhagen was a turning point for Ban Ki-moon. The UN’s representative had focused many efforts into that COP, but the Conference was marked by the negotiations held behind closed doors by a group of countries led by the US that tried to impose an agreement to the other countries.

“It is very evident that there will not be a single grand deal at any point in the near future,” said Robert Orr, UN assistant secretary general for strategic planning.

The UN is making clear that it’s not that climate talks ceased to be important, but the Secretary General will focus his attention on environmental sustainability. Anyway, this turn can affect developing countries that have been pressuring for years industrialized countries to commit to the Kyoto Protocol, a legally binding agreement to reduce polluting emissions. Several rich nations are trying to dismantle the Protocol.

Meanwhile, on January 28th, Ban Ki-moon spoke at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that gathered 30 Heads of State and over one thousand companies’ executives. He said that the current economic model is a “global suicide pact”.

“We need a revolution”, said the UN’s Chief according to AP. ““Climate change is also showing us that the old model is more than obsolete,” he added. Ban Ki-moon also stated that a free market revolution for global sustainability is also necessary.

With this goal in mind, Ban Ki-moon launched in Davos the Global Compact LEAD, a platform made up by more than 50 companies claiming to be leaders in social and environmental sustainability. The companies are also part of the UN World Pact, a voluntary initiative where companies commit to align their strategies and operations with ten universally accepted principles around four thematic areas: human rights, labor standards, environment and actions against corruption.

Some of these companies participating in the new Global Compact LEAD are Nestle, Coca Cola, Siemens, Shell, Total, Unilever, Endesa and BBVA. Several of them are accused and are in trial for serious human rights violations and pollution in several parts of the world.

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