Paris Climate Pact moves closer to reality — 60 nations sign on

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon held a special event as it was announced today that an additional 31 countries had officially joined the Paris Climate Agreement this session, bringing to 60 the total number of nations representing 48 percent of emissions that have joined.

The agreement received a major boost earlier this month when China and the United States, the two largest emitters, jointly acceded to the deal during a summit between Presidents Barack Obama (R) and Xi Jinping (C)

How Hwee Young, POOL/AFP/File

This brings the world closer to the threshold needed to put the Paris accord into force, and according to the UN, many more countries are quickly moving toward taking the final step that would mark a huge milestone in the world’s efforts to address climate change.

In his opening remarks at the high-level event, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon commented on the continued global momentum on bringing the Paris Climate Pact into force, saying: “The remarkable support for this agreement reflects the urgency and magnitude of the challenge. Emissions continue to rise. So does the global thermostat and the risks. Climate impacts are increasing. No nation or community is immune, but the vulnerable are feeling the effects first and worst. There is no time to waste.”
31 nations that have formally joined the Paris Agreement on Wednesday
Albania
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Bangladesh
Belarus
Brazil
Brunei Darussalam
Dominica
Ghana
Guinea
Honduras
Iceland
Kiribati
Madagascar
Mexico
Mongolia
Morocco
Namibia
Niger
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Senegal
Singapore
Solomon Islands
Sri Lanka
Swaziland
Thailand
Tonga
Uganda
United Arab Emirates
Vanuatu

US President Barack Obama addresses the 71st session of United Nations General Assembly

Jewel Samad, AFP

Another 14 countries have announced their commitment to join the Paris Agreement before the end of 2016. They include Austria, Australia, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, European Union, France, Germany, Hungary, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Poland, and the Republic of Korea.

The world has now crossed one threshold for the Paris Agreement to come into force. We now have over the 55 countries needed, and now we are a mere eight percent short of the second threshold — countries accounting for 55 percent of the world’s emissions — in order for the agreement to take effect.

When we finally reach that golden point, the Paris Climate Agreement will go into effect 30 days after the point is reached. World leaders are demonstrating their commitment to making this a better world, and they are sending clear signals that it is possible to mitigate the effects of climate change when as a global community, we all work together.