Trócaire supporters Mary Friel, Jeanine Beck and Martin Dummigan travelled to London by ferry and train to join with thousands of other campaigners to highlight the threat to the world posed by climate change.

Mr Durkan said: “Climate change is one of the most profound challenges and greatest threats of our generation – adversely impacting upon developing nations in particular.

“I am therefore urging the British government to agree to legally binding targets to reduce carbon dioxide emissions at the UNFCCC in Paris later this year.

“The government must work with its international partners to ensure that both developed and developing nations do the same and accept their common but differentiated responsibilities to stop the planet warming by more than two degrees.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Trócaire and its life-changing work for some of the world’s most vulnerable people – including those affected by war, climate change and disease.”

Trócaire campaigner Mary Friel said: “People in the developing world are being hardest hit by the effects of climate change. I saw this first hand when I travelled last year to Ethiopia to visit vital projects supported by Trócaire.

“2015 is a crucial year in the fight against climate change with world leaders meeting in Paris in December to agree a legally-binding and universal agreement on climate.

“We want the government to implement a series of actions that include backing a low carbon plan here at home and setting a global goal that would see pollution from fossil fuels eradicated by 2050 and support for developing countries increased so that they can achieve clean development.

“It was great to meet Mark Durkan MP to talk about this important issue and how we can bring about positive change.”