VATICAN CITY: Catholic patriarchs, cardinals and bishops representing five continents have issued a 10-point appeal to climate negotiators in Paris to approve a "transformative" and fair, legally binding agreement that sets global temperature limits and decarbonisation goals to save the planet from climate-induced catastrophe.

The representatives of bishops conferences from around the globe signed the appeal Monday in a renewed push to encourage climate negotiators meeting next month to heed Pope Francis' call to protect God's creation and the poor who suffer most from its exploitation.

The 10-point proposal calls for governments to approve legally binding limits to global average temperatures, set a mid-century decarbonisation goal and provide binding and ambitious mitigation commitments that recognise the different responsibilities for, and abilities to adapt to, global warming.