The United States and China on Saturday Sep 03,2016 formally joined the Paris
climate deal, with President Barack Obama hailing the accord as the
“moment we finally decided to save our planet”.
The move by the world’s two biggest polluters is a major step forward
for the 180-nation accord, which sets ambitious goals for capping global
warming and funnelling trillions of dollars to poor countries facing
climate catastrophe. Mr. Obama and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping
handed ratification documents to UN chief Ban Ki-moon, who said he was
now optimistic the agreement will be in force by the end of this year.
At the ceremony in the Chinese city of Hangzhou, Mr. Obama said climate
change would “define the contours of this century more dramatically than
any other challenge”.
History would show that the Paris deal would “ultimately prove to be a
turning point”, he said, “the moment we finally decided to save our
planet”.
The Paris agreement aims to limit global temperature increases
to two degrees centigrade, and will be triggered after at least 55
countries, accounting for 55 per cent of global greenhouse gas
emissions, ratify it.
Two biggest pollutors
China is responsible for almost a quarter of the world’s emissions, with the U.S. in second place on around 15 %, so their participation is crucial.
China is responsible for almost a quarter of the world’s emissions, with the U.S. in second place on around 15 %, so their participation is crucial.
China’s Parliament ratified the agreement earlier on Saturday Sep 03,2016, and Mr.
Xi said the Asian giant was “solemnly” committed to the issue.
“Hopefully this will encourage other countries to take similar efforts,”
he said in Hangzhou, where he is to host the G20 summit of the world’s
leading developed and emerging economies.
Individual commitments
Under the Paris accord, China has pledged to cut its carbon emissions per unit of GDP by 60-65 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030 and increase non-fossil fuel sources in primary energy consumption to about 20 per cent. In its Paris commitment, the U.S. promised to cut its own emissions 26-28 per cent below 2005 levels by 2025.
For its part the White House is looking for the Paris accord to come
into force during Mr. Obama’s tenure, in part to burnish his climate
legacy, but also to ensure the forthcoming U.S. election does not
obstruct U.S. participation. The administration is arguing that the deal
does not need Congressional approval for ratification, which can be
done by executive orderUnder the Paris accord, China has pledged to cut its carbon emissions per unit of GDP by 60-65 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030 and increase non-fossil fuel sources in primary energy consumption to about 20 per cent. In its Paris commitment, the U.S. promised to cut its own emissions 26-28 per cent below 2005 levels by 2025.
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