Best-selling author and international director of the 24-7 prayer movement, Pete Greig, has described climate change the 'challenge of our generation'.

Greig is one of dozens of global Christian leaders who have signed a letter calling on world leaders to honour their Paris Agreement promises, ahead of the next scheduled series of UN climate talks.

He said: 'The real and present crisis of climate change is bigger than political opportunism, bigger than national interest, bigger than us all. Millions of lives are at stake.'

The United Nations COP23 global climate talks will take place in November in the German city of Bonn. Representatives from most of the world's governments will set out how they intend to meet the aims of the Paris Agreement.

The letter, coordinated by development charity Tearfund as part of the Renew Our World campaign, reads: 'We urge each nation's leaders to keep the promises they made in the Paris Agreement, to restore the natural balance. As Christians across the globe we are calling for action on climate change.'

It continues: 'This is our generation's challenge, a significant part of how we love our neighbours.

'We're committing to respond as Christians by living more sustainably, praying, and raising our voices; we're asking every member of the church - the world's largest network – to join in, alongside many others, and every national leader to lead the way.'

Greig added: 'I wholeheartedly support the Renew Our World Campaign calling on world leaders to honour the promises they made in the Paris Agreement for the sake of future generations.'

The letter has been signed by Archbishop of Cape Town and head of the Anglican church in Southern Africa, Thabo Makgoba, and the Archbishop of Polynesia, Dr Winston Halapua, based in Fiji. The two will be acting as the official hosts of the talks.

Other signatories include Bishop Efraim Tendero, secretary-general of the World Evangelical Alliance; award winning human rights activist, Dr Denis Mukwege and musician Nichole Nordeman.

Tearfund's director of advocacy, Ruth Valerio, said: 'There is a growing demand for stronger action to tackle climate change.

'Christians across the world are joining our campaign to urge political leaders to agree ambitious targets and outline substantial plans for how they will cut their emissions and carbon use.

'Every day at Tearfund we see the effect climate change is having on the poorest people in the world, dragging many back into the clutches of poverty.'

A copy of the letter and complete list of signatories can be found here.