For Mezouar, who is also the COP22 president, this is a historic moment and a confirmation of Morocco’s strong commitment within the framework of agreements adopted in Paris during the COP21.
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At the UN general assembly today, 31 countries ratified the accord, joining the 29 nations who ratified it previously-these countries put out 48 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, and the agreement needs 55 percent of emissions represented to go into effect.
Last December, almost 200 nations agreed to slash greenhouse gases in order to keep global temperature rises to “well below” 2 degrees Celsius.
Sealed late a year ago, the Paris accord commits countries to make plans to keep global warming at no more than 2°C above pre-industrial levels to try to avoid the worst effects of climate change. Currently, 60 countries representing 48 percent of global emissions, including the USA, have signed on. These 60 countries account for almost 48 per cent of global emissions.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon voiced confidence that the accord, through which countries commit to take action to stem the planet’s rising temperatures, would come into force by the end of the year. We will need more effort from these major countries over time as the world isn’t yet on the trajectory to leave our children and grandchildren a place to live without the grave impacts of climate change. The U.S. government too has been keen to see through the treaty before President Barack Obama exits office next year. A total of 60 countries have now formally joined the Paris Agreement. C’mon, guys. We can do this.
“In order to reclaim its role as a true climate leader it must take early action, before 2020, to ensure that keeping the world below 1.5 degree warming is not an elusive dream”, he said.
With more countries pledging to join the agreement before the end of the year, it is expected it could come into force in 2016. But without continued USA cooperation in the future, the letter writers argue, the entire agreement could be in jeopardy.
“It can sometimes take years or even decades for a treaty to enter into force”. That would keep the country bound to the measure through the first term of the next administration.
“The consequences of opting out of the global community would be severe and long-lasting – for our planet’s climate and for the worldwide credibility of the United States”.
China and the USA both formally joined the agreement earlier this month.
He said European Union environment ministers will meet Friday to discuss a plan to ratify the agreement as a bloc, even though only a handful of the 28 member states have approved it domestically.
“We have no time”, Ban said before the General Assembly on Tuesday, according to the New York Times. The European Union has scheduled a vote for early October to approve the agreement over the objections of some states, such as Poland, which rely heavily on coal-fired power plants that are significant emitters of greenhouse gas emissions.
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The Secretary General thanked Belarus for the leadership and active participation in the global process to combat climate change.
