UN Climate Chief Warns Against 'Cheap and Dirty' Power

The United Nations climate chief is warning against what he calls "cheap and dirty" power as a quick fix to the global financial crisis, saying it will lead to another economic disaster.

Yvo de Boer met with reporters Sunday on the eve of an international climate change conference in Poznan, Poland.

De Boer said governments must not try to save money by giving up high-technology in favor of low-cost but highly polluting energy sources, such as coal. He called this a new generation of bad investments that will have to be scrapped, and he predicted that wind and solar power plants will become a necessity as early as 10 years from now.

Delegates from about 190 countries - nearly every nation on the planet - open 12 days of talks Monday in Poznan. They are seeking agreement on a replacement for the Kyoto global warming treaty, which expires in 2012.

Delegates hope to have a new pact cutting greenhouse gas emissions ready to be signed in Copenhagen next year.

Many scientists blame global warming chiefly on emissions from cars and factories.