A model of Noah's ark has been constructed on Turkey's Mount Ararat by the environmental group Greenpeace in an attempt to draw attention to the issue of climate change.

Activists held up banners that read "Save the climate now" and released doves Thursday for the unveiling of the wooden ark, which comes ahead of next week's Group of Eight summit in Germany.

Greenpeace activists hold a banner next to a model of Noah's ark, built by Greenpeace volunteers from Germany and Turkey on Mount Ararat in eastern Turkey.
(Greenpeace/Associated Press)

A Greenpeace banner unfurled at the site reads: "G8: this is the point of no return. Save the climate now."

Climate change is expected to be a key discussion topic among the leaders of Germany, the U.S., Russia, Britain, France, Italy, Canada and Japan when they meet for the summit, which runs from June 6-8.

"Our nations' leaders are at what could be a decisive moment in the future of the planet — either they agree on radical reductions in greenhouse gases, or this G8 summit will become a slap in the face to many people of the world," said Greenpeace energy campaigner Andree Bohling.

According to the Book of Genesis, God told Noah to build an ark and fill it with two of every species before he flooded the Earth because its people had become corrupt. After the flood, the ark came to rest in the mountains of eastern Turkey.

Built by German and Turkish carpenters, the boat measures 10 metres by four metres and took a month to build.

Greenpeace plans to leave the ark on the mountain to be used as a shelter for mountaineers.

With files from the Associated Press