Record numbers at New York signing of Paris climate agreement

Actor and environmentalist, Leonardo Dicaprio
speaks during the New York City signing
 of last year's Paris climate change deal.

A total of 175 countries have signed the Paris climate agreement at the United Nations in New York City, a record for a one-day signing of an international accord, the UN says.

French President Francois Hollande and Canada's Justin Trudeau joined US Secretary of State John Kerry for the record turnout that has boosted hopes of quick action on combating global warming.

"This is a moment in history," UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said.

"Today you are signing a new covenant with the future."

Held on Earth Day, the ceremony comes four months after the hard-won deal was clinched in Paris and marks the first step toward binding countries to the promises they made to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Read the ABC story - “Paris Agreement: More than 170 world leaders sign United Nations climate deal.”

.