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World leaders are meeting in New York, in what is being billed as a last chance to make a breakthrough in talks ahead of a crucial climate change conference.
The one-day global climate summit has been called by the United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-Moon.


The aim is to try and break the deadlock between rich and poor nations in the ongoing negotiations to secure a global emissions reduction deal in Copenhagen in December.
Suspicions from poor countries over the amount of money available to help them adapt to climate change have so far hampered negotiations, where it was hoped leaders might decide on a successor to the Kyoto Protocol.
Until now, China – the world’s biggest emitter – and India have been critical of a lack of action from developed nations on emissions cuts.
But today, China’s President Hu Jintao is expected to make an announcement on tough domestic climate targets.

The UN’s climate chief, Yvo de Boer, has said China is leaping ahead of the United States with domestic plans for more energy efficiency, renewable sources of power, cuts in vehicle pollution and closures of dirty plants.
He said: “China and India have announced very ambitious national climate change plans.
“In the case of China, so ambitious that it could well become the front-runner in the fight to address climate change.
“The big question mark is the US.”
President Obama will make a speech at the summit, though it is unclear whether he will be in a position to attend the Copenhagen conference, as delays over his own climate change deal may leave his hands tied on the global scale.
Gordon Brown has pledged to attend the Copenhagen summit.

Campaigners are calling on rich countries to cut their emissions by up to 40% by 2020 and 80% by 2050.
This is to avoid temperatures rising more than two degrees Celsius, after which scientists say catastrophic climate change will take place.
Pressure from business leaders will also intensify today, as more than 500 top global companies unveil a document called the Copenhagen Communique in New York.
The communique, whose signatories include British Airways, Virgin, BP, Shell and energy suppliers EDF and E.ON, warns a failure to secure a deal in Copenhagen will worsen the current economic climate.
Ahead of Copenhagen, Sky News is asking for your entries in our own climate change competition.
We want your best idea to inspire the British public to reduce their carbon emissions.

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