Search: G20 climate change
Chancellor Alistair Darling has urged finance ministers from the world's leading economies to "get on" with tackling climate change.
Speaking ahead of the G20 meeting which begins in Scotland on Friday, Mr Darling said climate change was a "present problem" which needs billions of pounds in order to be tackled.
He said: "We either take action and stop those problems happening or we fail to take action and we face bigger costs down the line."
Mr Darling continued: "My message to my fellow finance ministers is there's a job of work to be done here. I don't think anyone seriously denies there's a problem here. Let's get on with it."
The Chancellor, who is hosting a meeting of G20 ministers at St Andrews, Fife, stressed that "heavy lifting" was needed to make progress on the issue.
Despite the current financial turmoil, Mr Darling said investing in the fight against global warming was crucial, saying: "People, not just in governments throughout the world but, more importantly, people in countries around the world, want us to be actually taking action now to deal with a present problem - that's the damaging effects of climate change.
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"So there's a lot of work to be done still, a lot of heavy lifting, a lot of arguments still to be won but that's an important part of this weekend."
Last week, EU leaders agreed to a 100 billion euro (£89.6 billion) annual package of public and private finance by 2020 to help poorer nations develop green industries and adapt to climate change.
Environmental group WWF is urging ministers to agree to an immediate 10 billion dollars (£6 billion) a year to help the most vulnerable countries adapt to changing climate. A larger 160 billion dollar (£96 billion) deal should also be struck to help reduce harmful emissions, the WWF said.
The talks, which last until Saturday, are the last in a series which saw leaders agree a one trillion dollar "fiscal stimulus" plan in the wake of global recession.
