UN chief Ban lauds India’s decision to ratify Paris climate deal

Although most countries have already signed the Paris agreement, it doesn’t take effect until at least 55 countries, accounting for 55 per of greenhouse gas emissions, individually approve it.

Cutting the emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane from power plants and other sources is a key to reducing the impacts of man-made climate change.

Approximately 60 nations who are responsible for around 48 pc of global emissions have ratified the agreement so far, including the US, China and many island states.

Earlier this year, India had been seen tying its decision to ratify the deal with the US’ support for India’s membership at the Nuclear Suppliers Group – a strategy that proved unsuccessful. The agreement requires countries with 55 per cent of global emissions to ratify the document for it to become binding.

In recent months, the key story of global climate policy has been about how quickly countries will join the Paris agreement, and cross the legal threshold to bring it into force.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon declared on September 21 that more than 55 countries have formally joined the Paris Agreement on climate change signed by world leaders this past April, according to a UN press release. In a decision on an accelerated approval, Poland wants the European Union to take into account its “specific” emissions situation, including over-achievement of emissions target under the previous climate treaty and the role of forests in absorbing greenhouse gases. India accounts for around 4.5 per cent of the global greenhouse gas emissions.

First, the USA and China agreed to formally ratify the agreement in an effort to get other countries to sign on before the end of the year.

Bookbinder says the Obama administration entered the Paris agreement without a clear plan on how to meet its pledges for 2025. Therefore, ratification of the deal the same day this year underlines the country’s fulfillment of its commitment. India’s move will boost the country’s partnership with the US – a relationship that has gained enormously through the joint efforts of Modi and US President Barack Obama.

Once the agreement is in force, it would be politically much more hard for Trump to back out of it. “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”. The deal sets out a global activity plan to put the world on track to keep away from hazardous environmental transformations and constraint the pace of global warming below 2°Celsius.

Countries will need to continually ratchet up ambition according to science and pursue a low-carbon transition.