A one-day United Nations summit on climate change in New York hosted by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has ended with an agreement to widen the use of renewable energy and raise billions of euros in aid for developing countries in an effort to slow global warming.

“We are the first generation to feel the impact of climate change, and the last generation that can do something about it. So today I am here personally as the leader of the world’s largest economy and its second largest emitter to say that we have begun to do something about it,” said the US President, Barack Obama.

Prior to taking to the podium, Obama met with China’s vice premier and they agreed that both countries “have a responsibility to lead”.

The summit set goals to stop losses of tropical forests by 2030, improve food production and increase the number of electric vehicles in cities to 30 percent of new sales.

The targets are meant to help prepare for a summit in Paris late next year that aims to finalise a deal to slow greenhouse gas emissions.

Up until now work has been slow with many countries more focused on improving economic growth and creating jobs.