UNITED
NATIONS — The official in charge of global climate negotiations says
between 80 and 100 countries are expected to sign the landmark agreement
to tackle climate change reached in Paris in December at a ceremony at U.N. headquarters on April 22.
Segolene
Royal, French environment minister and newly-appointed president of
U.N.-led climate negotiations, said Friday that more than 30 heads of
state and government have already said they will attend signing event.
She said invitations signed by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon,
French President Francois Hollande, and herself are also being sent
again to all world leaders.
"I
will, of course, work very hard so that we get these 80 to 100," Royal
told reporters after meeting Ban. "We might have more which would be
fantastic."
Royal
said every country has developed a plan to fight climate change and on
April 22 they will be explaining what they have done so far.
The
Paris Agreement must be ratified by at least 55 countries representing
at least 55 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions to enter into
force.
It
sets a collective goal of keeping global warming below 2 degrees
Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) compared to pre-industrial times, and
to pursue efforts to limit the temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius
(2.7 degrees Fahrenheit).
The
pact requires all countries to submit plans for climate action and to
update them every five years, though such plans are not legally binding.
Royal
said the signing ceremony is one of a series of events designed to keep
up the momentum created in Paris when the agreement was reached.
U.S. President Barack Obama was a key figure, along with China's president, in spurring support for the climate deal.
Royal
sidestepped a question asking whether she was concerned that the United
States might pull out of the agreement if one of the Republicans who
oppose the accord makes it to the White House.
She said support from the Obama administration and U.S. involvement has been very important.
No comments:
Post a Comment