World leaders to ratify Paris Agreement in New York

An estimated 60 world leaders will attend the official signing ceremony of the Paris Agreement on climate action in New York on 22 April.

It is unclear how many governments will actually ratify the document that day but countries including China, the US and India and have confirmed they will do so.

The climate deal was agreed by 195 UN member states in December at the COP21 summit in the French capital and is designed to limit greenhouse gas emissions and prevent dangerous levels of global warming.

The agreement requires formal approval by at least 55 states representing 55 per cent of world greenhouse gas emissions to enter into force.

China and the US alone account for about 40 per cent of world emissions.

Christiana Figueres, head of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change that ran the Paris summit, told Reuters in an e-mail. “Over 130 countries have confirmed (attendance) and some 60 world leaders including President (Francois) Hollande of France.”

Figueres added: “Not every country is perhaps ready or able to sign, but let’s be patient and see… The main aim here is to see pens on paper.”

The COP21 Paris Agreement is being signed in New York – the location of the Sustainable Investment Forum organized by Climate Action, which will unite 300 stakeholders from national and regional government, international finance, private industry and carbon management sectors for a day of high level discussion and debate during New York Climate Week.  To find out more and to register, click here: http://www.sustainableinvestmentforum.org/