Christians have been urged to pray following the 'alarming' news that the world is nowhere near meeting its goals on limiting global warming.

Analysis from Climate Action Tracker (CAT) - which follows the science behind country pledges and targets, revealed on Tuesday that the world is heading for at least a 2.4C rise in temperature, despite climate action promises. 

If all pledges made at the COP26 climate summit are met, this figure would reduce to 2.1C.

Nations have committed to a limit of 1.5C - a figure which scientists say is necessary to prevent the most dangerous impacts of climate change.

Andy Lester, head of conservation at Christian charity A Rocha UK says this temperature rise would be nothing short of catastrophic.

Speaking to Premier he called on Christians to "get on their knees and pray".

"We absolutely have to drive the difference down to nearer 1.5celcius - that is just about manageable," he said.

"At 2 degrees or more we will have over a billion people potentially displaced, and over a million species of wildlife extinct."

Lester explained that these temperatures also put the planet at risk of losing the Antarctic ice sheets, glacial systems and all of the earth's coral reefs.

"We just cannot afford that level of change. The figures are still sobering, the COP26 summit continues but we need the people on the ground praying hard that countries listen to scientists, indigenous communities and make the changes that are needed now."

Speaking at the climate summit in Glasgow, the Government's chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said the goal of 1.5 is crucial and not negotiable, although he acknowledged it will be very tough to meet.