Ministers to gather for climate deal discussion ahead of Paris summit

PARIS - Four weeks ahead of an international conference on climate change, COP21, a gathering of 80 ministers are to participate in a meeting here in November to find last minute solutions to trim global warming and implement pledges on the ground, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said on Friday.

In a press release, Fabius, who is to chair the three-day meeting starting on Nov. 8, said the purpose was "to discuss all major elements of an agreement (on reducing global warming)".

The upcoming summit "will enable us to go forward on core questions and the long-term targets," he added.

Fabius also called for further efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions to stop climate deterioration after a UN document released on Friday showed that national contributions were insufficient.

"This confirms the importance to reach in Paris at the COP21 an agreement that sets the rules to revise periodically the national contributions," French top diplomat said.

"The national contributions' process is a first in the history of climate negotiations. This is a solid basis for the essential success in Paris," he added.

A total of 146 countries out of the 195 participating countries have submitted their national contributions to trim global warming. They represent about 86 percent of global greenhouse emissions, according to the UN report.

France will host the climate conference in Paris (COP21) in December where officials aim to find a global and binding agreement to limit global warming to two degrees Celsius.

Some 80 top officials from across the world will participate in the summit.

About 40,000 visitors, including more than 3,000 journalists, were expected to take part in the event.