A senior representative of the United Nations (UN) Food and Agricultural Organization reiterated the agency's call for countries around the globe to become more serious in safeguarding urban trees and forests since these are vital in lessening effects of climate change.

Through its environment program or UNEP, the international body is continuously working to coordinate and convey the necessary responses of governments, private sector, international community, civil society and the public in taking care of global ecosystems.

Each sector has the responsibility to help in preserving the environment and ensuring sustainable development.

"Scientific evidence shows that ecosystems are under unprecedented pressure threatening prospects for sustainable growth. Timely responses, which are proportionate to the scale of environmental challenges, are necessary to secure prosperity, equity and stability," the UNEP said in a recent report.

The UNEP is tasked with the responsibility of "supporting governments in acquiring environmental information for decision-making, boosting global and regional collaboration, developing and applying national and international environmental laws, advancing national and regional implementation of environmental goals, and fostering primary groups and governments in policy development and implementation processes," according to the UN primer on environmental governance.

"Good practices in urban and peri-urban forestry can contribute to building a resilient city in terms of mitigation and adaptation to the effects of climate change," the FAO official stated.

"Urban forests also improve the interests and health conditions of citizens by lowering temperatures particularly in scorched zones," said the statement, released on the occasion of World Habitat Day.

"The accelerating rate of natural disturbances affecting cities such as storms, droughts, floods and landslides reminds us that resilience to disasters is of critical importance and trees play an essential role in protecting city environments," said Eduardo Rojas-Briales, assistant director-general for forestry at the FAO.

The UN Climate Change Conference is scheduled from Nov. 28 to Dec. 9 at the Durban International Conference Center in South Africa.

The meet will bring together some 25,000 delegates from 185 world nations to discuss the Kyoto Protocol, Bali Action Plan and implementation of the 17th UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.