Many countries are exploring strategies to speed up the ratification process.
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The agreement asks all countries to develop plans to keep the planet from warming more than two degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels to avoid the worst effects of climate change. The representatives did not adopt the text, though.
A United Nations event in NY later this week is expected to see at least another 20 countries ratify the agreement, pushing the total number of ratified countries to 47. It was only “adopted” in Paris, and “signed” in NY in April 2016.
Hopes for the early entry into force of the universal climate Paris Agreement will be boosted this week with a special meeting at the United Nations on 21 September where at least 20 countries are expected to announce they have ratified the agreement, and others will commit to ratifying it before the end of 2016.
The pact comes into force when at least 55 countries that collectively sum at least 55% of the world’s carbon emissions need to join, in accordance with Article 21, paragraph 1 of the Paris Agreement.
Last week, Secretary of State John Kerry told global officials that “We are working together to bring that agreement into force as quickly as possible”, during an ocean protection summit at the State Department.
Member States of the European Union would still have to ratify the agreement at a national level, but the fast-track move would allow the EU’s 12 per cent of global emissions to be counted towards the total needed to bring the Paris Agreement into force. However, only European Union states which have already formally ratified the Paris Agreement would be counted towards the number of countries which have formally ratified. This might lead to an odd situation in Marrakech, Morocco which will host the 22nd session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 22) between November 7-18.
So far, 29 countries, accounting for 40 percent of global emissions, have ratified the deal, and that number is poised to soar as at least 20 countries commit on Wednesday.
The EU is looking to fast-track the ratification process for the Paris Agreement, in a move which could see the trading bloc formally approve the treaty in a matter of weeks.
Obama insisted diplomacy is the only way to end the brutal five-year conflict in Syria, as a ceasefire brokered by Washington and Moscow lay in tatters. Mr. Trump has said he would cancel the deal.
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France’s environment minister on Monday voiced optimism that the Paris global accord on fighting climate change will come into force by November.
