UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Monday urged the United States to set "real and binding carbon reduction targets" that would contribute to a global struggle against climate change.

    Speaking at the opening of a high-level debate on climate change at the UN Headquarters, Bloomberg said the targets set by the United States, which leads the world in greenhouse gas production, are one of the preconditions for the world to reach an agreement on measures to address climate change.

    The targets must be "ambitious but also achievable," he stressed, saying the United States should enact a tax on carbon emission so as to create relevant incentives.

    "I believe the American people are prepared to accept our responsibility to lead by example," he said. "Our president and Congress must begin to work together in a bipartisan fashion to make such leadership possible."

    In this regard, he said New York city has set an example by committing to emission reduction targets.

    "Based on a careful assessment of what existing technology makes feasible, we determined that New York City can shrink our carbon footprint 30 percent from current levels by 2030," he said.

    Recent studies indicate that the United States could do something "very close to that, too, -- and at nearly zero net cost, because so many of the energy efficiency strategies involved actually save money in the long run," he said.

    The mayor also announced a plan for the city to join the global efforts to address global warming through the reduction of tropical hardwood consumption.

    Bloomberg said tropical deforestation accounts for some 20 percent of the world's greenhouse gas emission, a fact that was highlighted at the conference in Bali last December.

    "New York City is now prepared to do to curb tropical deforestation," he said. "Our city agencies will immediately reduce their use of tropical hardwoods by 20 percent."

    "They will do that by specifying domestic woods, recycled plastic lumber, and other materials in the design of part benches and in other construction projects," he said.

    The two-day session, convened by assembly President Srgjan Kerim, is meant to build on the momentum generated by the international climate conference in December on the Indonesian resort island of Bali, where delegates from nearly 190 nations agreed to adopt a blueprint to control global warming gases before the end of next year.

    Government officials, business leaders and activists from nearly 100 countries are expected to participate in the thematic debate titled "Addressing climate change, the United Nations and the world at work."