UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will travel to Copenhagen next week to attend the high-level segment of the UN Climate Change Conference, a UN spokesman said Monday.

"The secretary-general expects a robust agreement at Copenhagen that will be effective immediately and include specific commitments on mitigation, adaptation, finance and technology," Martin Nesirky told reporters at UN Headquarters in New York.

"He says Copenhagen can and must be the turning point in the world's efforts to prevent runaway climate change and usher in a new era of green growth for all," Nesirky said. "From all corners of the globe we see unprecedented momentum for a deal."

Never have so many different nations of all size and economic status made so many firm pledges together, the spokesman said.

Negotiators have six days to conclude their work before the Ministerial High Level Segment, which will start on December 16.

Ministers will then have two days to take any unresolved issues forward before more than 100 world leaders arrive on December 17. The conference is expected to be closed on December 18.

More than 15,000 participants, including government delegates and representatives from business and industry, environmental organizations and research institutions, are attending the gathering.

(Xinhua News Agency December 8, 2009)