"I am a firm believer that climate change is real, that it is impacted by human behavior and carbon emissions. And as a consequence, I think we've got an obligation to future generations to do something about it," said the president.
Obama said the U.S. will not try to curb climate change at the expense of economic growth.
The Kyoto Protocol does not require developing countries to reduce emissions. That includes China, the world's largest greenhouse gas emitter.
Scientists have long warned about the dangers of ignoring the changing climate, said Ban.
"Our own eyes can see what is happening. There can be no looking away, no persisting with business as usual, no hoping the threat will diminish or disappear," said Ban.
Most climate scientists agree that human activities play a role in climate change.
But they debate how much these activities affect the planet, said Patrick Michaels, a climate scientist with the Cato Institute in Washington.
"If you look at the temperature history, there are two warmings that occur. One is from about 1910 to about 1945. That could not have much to do with carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases because we hadn't put very many in the atmosphere by then. The second one begins around 1977 and ends in the late 1990s. Both warmings are of the same magnitude," said Michaels.
Some industrialized nations say future agreements to limit emissions should apply to all major economies.
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