UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called on world leaders to agree a binding deal against climate change by 2015 in an address at the UN general assembley this week.
Ban has urged governments to agree to strong and legally binding conditions and has stepped up warnings in recent months over the impact of accelerating temperature increases.
The COP18 United Nations conference in Doha last month extended the term of the Kyoto Protocol, the only binding pact on curbing greenhouse gas emissions, until 2020. However, a major failing of the deal is that it excludes major polluters such as China, India and the United States, who have refuses to ratify the accord.
Ban said mobilising action on climate change has become a key priority and he will invite world leaders to mobilise the political will to act and adopt a binding instrument against climate change by 2015.
His comments came after US President Barack Obama vowed to make climate change a priority when he was sworn in Monday to a second term.