Ban urges world to learn lessons from Thai mega flooding

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said on Wednesday that lessons should be learned from the flood in Thailand and urged world leaders to address climate change without delay. "I have emphasized the importance of learning lessons from this mega flooding," Ban said at a joint press conference with Thailand 's Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. With preparedness in disaster risk reduction, the government can save a lot of lives and properties. The worst flood in decades has been plaguing Thailand since July, killing at least 564 people. Ban asked international community to address the climate change "with the strongest possible political leadership and organizing necessary fund." Ban asked member states to deliver 30 billion U.S. dollars by the end of 2012 to help the developing countries adapt and mitigate the impact of climate change, which was pledged by world leaders in Copenhagen in 2009. He also urged for clear guidelines and framework to deliver a hundred billion dollars of fund by 2020. "A hundred billion dollars may be a big challenge. But even under economic crisis, I believe we can do it. I am urging world leaders to address the problem with a sense of urgency, we don't any time to waste," Ban said.