“We are absolutely certain that we will have the Paris agreement entering into force by the end of 2016”, said David Nabarro, a special adviser to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
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In a Facebook post, Dr Balakrishnan said the ratification of the agreement was a “profound and moving journey” for the team of negotiators from various ministries undertaken over a number of years.
The world’s two biggest emitters, the United States and China, have already ratified the deal, providing momentum for other countries to quickly ratify the accord.
The United Nations and sane people everywhere are in a genuine state of panic that Donald Trump could derail the Paris climate change agreement if elected to the presidency.
The goal of the accord is to hold the increase in global temperatures to less than 2 degrees Celsius, or 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, above pre-industrial levels.
Final ratification requires 55 countries representing 55 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions.
In order for the Paris Agreement to enter into force, 55 percent of global emissions must also be represented, meaning a mere 7 percent stands between us and climate action. These countries represent 55 percent of global emissions. On April 21, the agreement was formally made public for signing by countries-175 leaders signed on the agreement on the first day “making it the largest single say signing ceremony in history”.
“We’re seeing broad political support around the world for this agreement”.
Chinese chairman of the national development and reform commission Xu Shaoshi, left, shakes hands with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon during a ceremony to mark more signatories to the Paris climate accords at U.N. headquarters, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2016.
And more countries have publicly announced their plans to take that step this year including with a new announcement from the South Korean President of their plans to formally join the agreement this year. “This is testament to the urgency of the crisis we all face”. “I am confident that by the time I leave office, the Paris agreement will have entered into force”.
At least half a dozen small island nations including Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Kiribati are expected to ratify along with several countries from Central America, Africa, Asia and one from the Middle East – the United Arab Emirates.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry had warned earlier this month that cooperating nations will have the ideal opportunity to vow their support to the agreements amid Climate Week.
“We expect nothing less from them”, said Guenther.
He said that President Buhari had shortly before this event, signed the Paris Agreement, where he expressed Nigeria’s commitment to reducing “Green House Gas Emissions unconditionally by 20 percent and conditionally by 45 percent”. Criticising the EU countries for not ratifying the treaty during the United Nations ceremony, despite being the third largest greenhouse gas emitter, she said: “European countries’ failure to ratify today is a dent in the climate leadership it has prided itself on previously”.
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That group includes Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, the European Union, France, Germany, Hungary, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Poland and the Republic of Korea.
