Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Barack Obama, the leaders of the world's two biggest polluters, pledged to work together to implement the climate deal adopted in Paris in a phone call Monday, Beijing's foreign ministry said.

Cheering envoys from 195 nations approved a historic accord in the French capital at the weekend to try to address global warming, offering hope that humanity can avert catastrophic climate change and usher in an energy revolution.

China is willing to work with relevant parties, including the US, to maintain coordination and cooperation to ensure the effective implementation of the Paris agreement, Xi was paraphrased as telling Obama by the ministry.

China was also willing to "expand bilateral pragmatic cooperation to deal with climate change," the statement said, citing Xi.

The Chinese foreign ministry paraphrased Obama as saying the US is willing to work together with China and all parties to ensure the agreement will go into effect and be implemented.

China and the US are the world's two largest carbon emitters, though China is estimated to have released nearly twice as much as the United States and around two and a half times the European Union.

The Asian giant pledged last year to peak carbon dioxide output by "around 2030" -- suggesting at least another decade of growing emissions.

The post-2020 Paris Agreement ends decades-long rows between rich and poor nations over how to carry out what will be a multi-trillion-dollar campaign to cap global warming and cope with the impact of a shifting climate.

With 2015 forecast to be the hottest year on record, world leaders and scientists had said the accord was vital for capping rising temperatures and averting the most calamitous effects of climate change.

Begin climate change action today: UN's Ban
United Nations, United States (AFP) Dec 14, 2015 - Calling the Paris climate deal "a health insurance policy for the planet," UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday urged governments to waste no time in delivering on their commitments to fight global warming.

"Now, actions should begin from today," Ban said after returning from Paris where the historic deal was reached Saturday, capping two weeks of tough negotiations.

A formal signing ceremony will take place at the United Nations on Earth Day: April 22.

Ban will then convene an action summit on May 5-6 to keep the pressure on the 195 governments that have pledged under the landmark deal to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

"The Paris agreement is a victory for people, for the common good, and for multilateralism," Ban said.

The accord sends a clear signal that the global economy is shifting to low-emission growth and contains strong accountability and transparency measures, he said.

The UN chief described the deal as "ambitious", setting a target of containing global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial levels through a series of national measures.

The agreement will come into effect by 2020, once at least 55 countries responsible for 55 percent of global greenhouse gases ratify the accord.

Under the deal, there will be five-year reviews to take stock of implementation, and a first such assessment is scheduled for 2018.

The UN chief recalled that reaching the deal had been a top priority of his tenure when he took over as secretary-general at the United Nations in 2007.

Ban raised the climate talks at just about every meeting with world leaders.

"I sent alarm bells consistently and repeatedly to world leaders," he said.

UN climate envoy Janos Pasztor described the deal as a "monumental achievement" and said it sends a message to the financial markets that it's time to invest in low-carbon energy.

Pasztor rejected suggestions that the agreement will be difficult to enforce.

"The governments did not create a climate change police force," he said.

"But the information will be available in a transparent manner," allowing the United Nations to quickly point the finger at those who fall short of their commitments, he said.