The United Nations Climate Summit opened New York Tuesday with an appeal from UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon for global action to address climate change.

"Climate change threatens hard-won peace, prosperity and opportunity for billions of people," Ban said during his opening remarks. "Today we must set the world on a new course."

Declaring climate change the defining issue of our time, Ban told the delegates: "We need all hands on deck."

"I am asking you to lead," he said. "We are not here to talk. We are here to make history."

Opening at 8 a.m. (1300 GMT), the summit started with a video produced by Lyn Lear and narrated by Oscar winner Morgan Freeman.

It draws more than 120 heads of state and government to announce their vision and commitments, as well as make announcements on actions that will reduce emissions, enhance resistance to climate change and mobilize financing for climate action.

Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli, who is here to attend the summit as President Xi Jinping's special envoy, will make a keynote speech to explain China's stance and measures to address climate change.

The UN Climate Summit is expected to set the stage for a crucial conference in Paris in December 2015 aimed at finalizing a new global climate change pact.

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