The Paris Agreement, the world’s response to hotter temperatures, rising seas and other impacts of climate change, was reached in December as a major breakthrough in United Nations climate negotiations, which for years were slowed by disputes between rich and poor countries over who should do what.
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The Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Somalia, Palestine, Barbados, Belize, Fiji, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Samoa, Tuvalu, the Maldives, Saint Lucia and Mauritius all deposited their instruments of ratification at the signing ceremony, meaning that their governments have already agreed to be legally bound by the terms of the treaty.
“The world is in a race against time”, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in his opening speech.
“Record global temperatures. Record ice loss”.
Either way, scientists say the consequences could be catastrophic in some places, wiping out crops, flooding coastal areas and melting Arctic sea ice.
Global average temperatures broke previous records during the first three months of this year, for example, and keeping these in check in the long-term will require a massive energy system transformation. To enter into force, the Paris agreement has to be ratified by at least 55 countries representing at least 55% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
“China is a responsible major developing country, and the Chinese people honor their commitments”, he said at an opening daylong ceremony in NY for the signing of the climate pact reached in December 2015. The further success of the climate change deal will also depend on developing new environmental technologies such carbon capture.
According to the World Health Organization air pollution causes millions of deaths every year.
Other significant announcements at last week’s ceremony included confirmation by Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that his country would deliver C$2.65 billion (US$1.98 billion at current exchange rates) of climate finance over the next five years.
Brazil and India have also found their way into the list of top emitters in part due to deforestation.
New rounds of negotiations on climate change this May in Bonn, Germany and at the Marrakesh of Morocco will occur later this year. “Early ratification can be understood, but it will take time as per the national processes of approval”, Javadekar said.
The hope is that all countries will take their commitments seriously and make a success of the agreement by enforcing it fully in letter and spirit. It mentions the “different national circumstances” and the “imperatives of a just transition of the workforce” as factors that could impede the ability to adapt to stiff climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies.
While the U.S. and China issued a joint statement in April pledging rapid accession to the deal, the two nations represent no more than 38 percent of global emissions.
“Putting the burden on rich people around the world is where we need to be moving”, she said.
News reported that Republican candidates Donald Trump and Senator Ted Cruz have said they do not believe in climate change. After all, who wants to be remembered as the last country to formally declare that they will take the necessary steps to address climate change?
The agreement reached in Paris seeks to avoid catastrophic climate change by limiting warming to 1.5C to 2C.
Jennifer Morgan, Executive Director of Greenpeace International, said: “For so many countries to sign at the first opportunity is a real indication of the overwhelming support to turn the Paris Agreement into accelerated climate action”.
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An emotion-filled Secretary General said “this is a very moving day for me personally”. That is far more than had done so on a single day for any previous global agreement – but it still is also only a step toward the accord becoming worldwide law.
