BERLIN — Global temperatures are rising. Superstorms are taking their deadly toll. There's a year-end deadline to firm up the Paris climate deal. So leaders at this year's U.N. General Assembly are feeling some urgency to keep up the momentum on combating climate change.

That's why they'll be devoting substantial time in New York this week to the question of global warming and how to rein it in.

There'll be talk of emissions targets and the need to adapt to the inevitable changes already underway when small island states take the floor.

Ministers from major economies, meanwhile, will be meeting behind closed doors to discuss who will pay to help poor countries avoid the worst effects of global warming — and prevent a wave of climate refugees in future.