Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Monday that he is optimistic about the UN Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen, Denmark, believing countries at the meeting will manage to achieve a common proposal to reduce global carbon emissions.

In his weekly radio address, President Lula reaffirmed his position that developed countries must provide necessary help to developing countries, so that they can keep growing without causing too much pollution.

"It is necessary to have financing so that we can help poor countries maintain a sustainable, solid development," he said.

Other world leaders, such as Danish Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen, have high hopes for the UN climate conference as well. In his opening speech, Rasmussen said the meeting is an opportunity the world cannot afford to miss.

The UN climate conference, which opened Monday in Copenhagen, is to last two weeks and will gather more than 100 leaders, who will work together towards a common goal: the establishment of goals to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases in all countries in a bid to contain global warming.

A deal is expected to be reached by December 18.

(Xinhua News Agency December 8, 2009)