Global churches groups strongly supported by young people have marched in New York for action on climate making their voices are heard at the United Nations Climate Action Summit.

The States of the world gathered at the United Nations for the one-day Climate Action Summit on September 23.

But UN Secretary-General António Guterres was quoted in media reports as saying that recent action by some countries and businesses, as well as the stunning rise of the youth climate movement, gave him hope that international goals to avoid catastrophic global heating could be met.

On Sept. 20 hundreds of thousands of young people peacefully protested climate change and the World Council of Churches walked alongside them in cities such as New York, Hamburg, Oslo, Nairobi, Johannesburg and Melbourne

Lining up with the WCC are the ACT Alliance and the Lutheran World Federation, which together represent 580 million Christians globally.

"As we focus on the interconnectedness of God's creation, our churches are urging governments worldwide to take stronger measures and present concrete plans to address climate change – now," the WCC said in a statement.

"The world is facing the impacts of climate change at an increasing pace, escalating humanitarian needs, and leading to economic free-fall and trauma borne of violent natural disasters.."

It cited Hurricane Dorian in the Caribbean, Cyclone Idai, the Amazon fires, flooding in India, Bangladesh and Myanmar, drought in the Horn of Africa.

"As people of faith, we call on the nations gathered at this summit to act ambitiously to address the impact of climate change, and to work with renewed vigour to keep global temperature rise below 1.5C.

"The time to act is now. Our call for God's creation cannot afford more delay."

They called especially for for action by developed nations to increase their ambition in meeting emissions targets, in providing financing, and in focusing on adaptation and alleviatiion for those most affected by climate change.