世界各国领导人将签署气候协议

On Friday, world leaders will take historic action at the United Nations to try to slow the effects of climate change and fix some of its damage.

More than 60 presidents and prime ministers, as well as dozens of other top officials from more than 130 countries will gather in New York to sign the climate change deal reached in Paris in December.

The agreement works to limit global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius. It also lays out a road map for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating the effects of a warming planet.

While leaders hammered out the details in Paris, in New York Friday they will sign and signal their readiness to start implementing the agreement.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon hailed the Paris accord as a “turning point” in the world's response to climate change.

China and the United States – which together account for about 40 percent of the world’s emissions -- will be represented at the signing ceremony. They have been using their political influence to urge an early implementation of the accord.