We are not at war (except with our own demons).

Deep down, if we really accept that their lives - African lives - are equal to ours, we would all be doing more to put the fire out. Its an uncomfortable truth.

The defining challenge of the 21st century will be to face the reality that humanity shares a common fate on a crowded planet.

The idea that UN commitments should be followed by action is indeed a radical one, especially for the United States, where wilful neglect of its own commitments is the rule.

We need to defend the interests of those whom we've never met and never will.

My colleagues and I took a stand in our work several years ago that we would not look for the magic bullet, because there is none. These are just basic problems requiring basic work. Nothing magic about it.

It's the American leadership that has not played the role it should be playing and that leaders in other countries have been playing.