Speaking at the World Leaders Summit 2009, President Mohamed Nasheed has said that very often what is required was leadership, and that “this is the time to lead”.

The Climate Leaders Summit 2009 is a forum, organized by the Climate Group, for the exchange of practical policy advice between government leader and CEOs of some of the world's leading low carbon technology companies and financial institutions. The summit is being held at Copenhagen in parallel with the COP15.

The summit was attended by Administrator to the United Nations Development Program Helen Clark, Prince Albert II of Monaco, First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond, among others.

Speaking at the Summit, President Nasheed said that climate change was “an issue that transcends borders”. He added that Climate change was not a future issue, but that it was “a threat and it is happening now”.

The President stressed on the need to achieve an agreement at COP15 and called for countries to set aside their differences in the effort to save the planet.

The President also spoke on the Maldives' plan to become carbon neutral by 2020.

“Though we are not part of the global problem we can become part of the global solution”, said the President.

At the summit, Mrs Helen Clark said that Climate change was the defining challenge of our century and that it was not an abstract danger.

Prince Albert spoke on the need to make the cities more energy efficient, while the Scottish First Minister said that Scotland wished to work in partnership with small countries like the Maldives, in leading by example.