Source: Climate Policy Observer

The high-level ceremony convened by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in New York on April 22 is approaching and and increasing number of countries have already promised to sign the global climate deal adopted at COP21.
Over 130 countries have confirmed that they will attend the signing ceremony, including some 60 world leaders, UN said.

US and China, the two world’s largest GHG emitters, kick-started a series of signing pledges in late March, announcing they will sign the Paris Agreement on climate change on April 22 “and take their respective domestic steps in order to join the Agreement as early as possible this year “.

In early April Indian climate change minister Prakash Javadekar said India would also ratify the Paris Agreement in New York.

Australia on Thursday (April 7) added its commitment, ABC reports.


Ministers of the BASIC countries’ bloc (Brazil, South Africa, India and China) issued a joint statement at the end of 22nd BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change in New Delhi, declaring that the BASIC members states “look forward to signing the Paris Agreement on 22 April 2016 during the High-Level Signature Ceremony convened by the Secretary-General of the United Nations”.

Pacific island nations of Fiji, Marshall Islands, Palau and Maldives have already ratified the Paris agreement through their respective domestic process.

According to art. 21 of the Paris Agreement, it needs to be ratified by at least 55 countries accounting for at least 55% of global GHG emissions to enter into force. The total of GHG emissions refers to “the most up-to-date amount communicated on or before the date of adoption” and provided by UNFCCC in the final report of COP21.


Read more on Climate Policy Observer, the online platform on climate and energy policies run by the International Center for Climate Governance.