Children in Cardiff will help transform a lightship owned by the city’s churches into Noah’s Ark in the hope of securing greater commitment from UK leaders to efforts aimed at preserving the planet.

The ‘Saving Creation at Copenhagen’ event will see children enter the ark wearing animal masks and costumes, and carrying images of communities at greatest risk from climate change. They will be accompanied by members of local Salvation Army brass bands and local choral singers.

The event will feature real farmyard animals from the Amelia Trust farm in Barry and a performance from National Eisteddford winner Gwenllian Evans, an operatic soloist from the Royal Welsh College of Music.

Saving Creation is being coordinated by Operation Noah in partnership with local churches and a number of development and environment groups, including Christian Aid, Tearfund, WWF and the Micah Challenge coalition.

Organisers hope the action will put pressure on UK leaders ahead of a major UN summit in Copenhagen in December when world leaders will discuss environmental challenges and climate change.

Operation Noah said the “make or break” talks would determine the planet’s future.

The group said it hoped the Saving Creation would “light the touchpaper for similar displays throughout the UK”.