THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appealed for a sense of urgency Tuesday as he launched a new commission that aims to accelerate and expand ways the world can prepare for climate change.

"Without urgent adaptation action, we risk undermining food, energy and water security for decades to come," Ban told guests as the Global Commission on Adaptation got underway in The Hague.

The commission's mandate is to encourage the development of measures to manage the effects of climate change through technology, planning and investment. Ban is leading the...