Countries Ink Historic Climate Change Pact In Paris

Zimbabwe is hailing the climate change agreement reached in Paris at the weekend as a potential turning point for the world, especially struggling developing countries that have been feeling the pain caused by changing weather patterns.

The United States and other rich nations countered that emerging giants must also do more, arguing developing countries now account for most of current emissions and thus will be largely responsible for future warming.

“Deliberations at the 21st Conference of Parties (CoP21) and Paris Agreement demonstrate the collective wisdom of world leaders to mitigate climate change”, Modi said on Twitter.

The UN chief described the deal as “ambitious”, setting a target of containing global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial levels through a series of national measures.

He called the deal, almost a decade in the making, “a break-away agreement which actually changes the paradigm by which countries are making judgments about this”.

“As a result of the climate agreement we can be more confident the Earth will be in better shape”, he said.

“The problem’s not solved because of this accord, but make no mistake, the Paris agreement establishes the enduring framework the world needs to solve the climate crisis”, he said.

The agreement was also reached as South Africa chaired the Group of 77 plus China – a group of more than 130 developing countries representing more than eighty percent of the world’s population.

CAFOD believes the Paris agreement marks the start of a new era of action on climate change.

To a reception of whoops and cheers, and a standing ovation, Laurent Fabius told the hall: “I now invite the conference to adopt the decision”.

“Now I count on Governments, and all sectors of society, to turn these commitments into urgent, decisive action”, he added.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry sees the Paris agreement as “a victory for all the planet and the future generations”.

Patrick Harvie MSP, finance spokesman for the Scottish Greens, added: “The intentions signalled by the Paris agreement can not be achieved unless fossil fuels are urgently abandoned”.

However, There was a contrary view too to the deal with the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said the climate change agreement is “weak and unambitious” as it does not include any “meaningful” targets and has discharged developed nations from their historical responsibility.

The agreement will come into effect by 2020, once at least 55 countries responsible for 55 percent of global greenhouse gases ratify the accord. “We’ve shown what’s possible when the world stands as one”.

Wealthy economies such as the US and the European Union will be required to continue to offer financial support to poor countries reduce their emissions. But, in time, the major weakness of the Paris Agreement may prove to be the lack of any way of enforcing the promises.