(Transcript from SBS World News Radio)
Billions of dollars in aid for developing nations, widening the overall use of renewable energy and reducing tropical deforestation.
These are just some of the non-binding commitments reached in New York at a United Nations summit on climate change.
It's been described as the most significant meeting since Copenhagen in 2009 -- which failed to yield an international deal -- and comes ahead of a 200-nation summit in Paris next year that's hoped to finalise an agreement to slow rising greenhouse gas emissions.
Kristina Kukolja has more.
(Click on the audio tab above to hear the full report)
The message was clear.
"Droughts are intensifying, our oceans are acidifying with methane plumes rising up from the ocean floor. We are seeing extreme weather events and the west Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets melting at unprecedented rates decades ahead of scientific projections. None of this is rhetoric and none of it is hysteria. It is fact."
Actor and newly appointed Messenger of Peace, Leonardi DiCaprio, addressed the more than 120 world leaders, joined by public sector and civil society representatives, at UN headquarters in New York.
He then made an impassioned appeal.
"You can make history or you will be vilified by it. To be clear, this is not just about telling people to change their lightbulbs or to buy a hybrid car. This disaster has grown beyond the choices individuals make. This is now about our industries and our governments around the world taking decisive large-scale action. Now must be our moment for action. We need to put a price tag on carbon emissions and eliminate government subsidies for all oil, coal and gas companies. We need to end the free ride that industrial polluters have been given in the name of a free market economy. They do not deserve our tax dollars. They deserve our scrutiny, for the economy itself will die if our ecosystems collapse."
UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has described the occasion as historic, saying never have so many leaders gathered to commit to action on climate change.
While any commitments made in New York will be non-binding, they do promise efforts to curb methane emissions, reduce and ultimately halt tropical deforestation, and increase the share of electric vehicles in cities.
They also herald initiatives to increase the use of renewable energy, with a particular focus on a group of countries in western and south Africa.
Mr Ban praised a plan that builds on an earlier promise from wealthy nations to raise $100 billion to help developing nations shift to renewables and adapt to extreme environmental conditions.
"A new coalition of governments, business, finance, multilateral development banks and civil society leaders announced their commitment to mobilise upwards of $200 billion for financing low carbon and climate resilient development."
United States President Barack Obama told the summit in order for far-reaching results to be achieved, developing nations must also do their part.
"We can only succeed in combating climate change if we are joined in this effort by every nation, developed and developing alike. Nobody gets a pass. The emerging economies that have experienced some of the most dynamic growth in recent years have also emitted rising levels of carbon pollution. It is those emerging economies that are likely to produce more and more carbon emissions in the years to come."
At a meeting with China's Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli on the sidelines of the summit, the pair agreed that their countries, the world's two biggest emmitters, have a responsibility to lead.
That's a view shared by Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.
She attended on behalf of Prime Minister Tony Abbott, whose government recently abolished the carbon tax but is still waiting for its replacement Direct Action plan to pass the Senate.
Ms Bishop says Australia remains committed to unconditionally reducing emissions by 5 per cent on 2000 levels by 2020, but would not make any further promises.
She told the summit it's a balancing act and Australia is doing its fair share.
"In taking action at home we are recognising Australia as responsible for around 1.5 per cent of global emissions and that all countries need to act, especially the world's biggest emitters. Australia will consider its post 2020 target as part of the review we will conduct in 2015 on Australia's international targets and settings. This review will consider the comparable actions of others, including the major economies and Australia's trading partners. We are striking the responsible balance of safeguarding economic growth while taking action on climate change."
Climate change first appeared on the global agenda in 1979.
The Earth summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 introduced the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
In 1997, the Kyoto Protocol set the first internationally binding emission reduction targets.
But by the time world leaders reconvened in Copenhagen 12 years later, Kyoto had been dubbed a failure.
The Danish meeting also failed to make headway, unable to secure a new global agreement to replace the expired Protocol.
Next year, Paris will host the UN Climate Change Conference and hopes are high that it will see a legally binding outcome.
The UN wants to reduce emissions in a bid to limit global temperature increases to below two degrees Celsius.
