Brasília – President Michel Temer submitted this Wednesday (21) to the secretary-general of the United Nations (UN), Ban Ki-moon, the document whereby Brazil ratifies the Paris Agreement on climate change.
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Thirty-one countries have formally joined the Paris Agreement on climate change, bringing the total number of countries ratifying the treaty to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 60.
In early September, the world’s two largest emitters, China and the United States, joined the Agreement. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who sees the climate deal as a centrepiece of his legacy, had begun a sustained push to win the formal approval of 55 countries representing 55 per cent of global emissions – the threshold needed to put the accord into force.
The 55 countries target has now been met, while the emissions total is just below 48 per cent.
Information for this article was contributed by Karl Ritter of The Associated Press and Joe Ryan of Bloomberg News.
After years of negotiations, governments agreed in Paris last December to curb the emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that scientists say are warming the planet.
President Michel Temer presented to the UNs secretary-general the document whereby the country ratifies the Paris Agreement on climate change. “It is expected that there will be a lot of investment opportunity for foreign investors during the US-Africa Business Forum, scheduled to take place next week in NY”, he said. Leaders from 55 countries have pledged to invest to the climate change agreement and to work on solutions to halt global warming. “I am convinced that the Paris agreement will enter into force before the end of 2016”.
At the United Nations ceremony, 14 more countries – including Austria, Australia, Cambodia, Canada, Costa Rica, Ivory Coast, Kazakhstan, New Zealand and South Korea – said they would approve the accord this year. “Only through such solidarity can we limit climate risks and build a world of peace, dignity, and prosperity for all on a healthy planet”. “We are talking to everybody about the urgency”.
“Nobody comes here to rest on our laurels”, he said.
Others say another factor is the potential of a shift in USA climate policy depending on the outcome of the presidential election in November.
Mr Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, has vowed to pull the United States out of the accord if he is elected.
“That doesn’t guarantee that the next president will fully implement Paris”, Meyer said.
The accord requires all countries to devise plans to achieve the goal of keeping the rise of temperatures within 2 deg C above pre-industrial levels.
Rhian Kelly, infrastructure director with the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), said: “Having committed to reducing emissions in the United Kingdom in line with the 5th Carbon Budget, business looks forward to working with the government to develop a clear and credible plan to meet this ambition”. “But politically it’s a decision of the member states”. “I appeal to all leaders to accelerate your domestic procedures to enter into force this year”. “We can not afford to cross that tipping point”.
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“We now need a strong plan that sets out how ministers will translate ambition into action”.
