Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak will leave for the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, next week, The Star reported on Tuesday.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Douglas Uggah Embas, who will accompany the Prime Minister to Denmark, said that the conference would provide a platform for world leaders to show their responsibility and concern in combating climate change.

It is very critical that world leaders ensure that concrete steps are taken to overcome climate change. The issue needs to be addressed now, he was quoted as saying by the daily.

The Malaysian government has realized the gravity of the global environment situation, said a spokesman for the Prime Minister's office.

At the recently-concluded Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, Najib and other leaders backed the plan for a quick start for a climate change fund to help poor developing countries hit by environmental disasters.

(Xinhua News Agency December 8, 2009)