In the presence of European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, the United Nation’s Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the President of COP 21 Ségolène Royal, the European Union today voted to approve the ratification of the treaty, which commits the world to limiting global warming to “well below” two degrees.
The landmark treaty also commits countries to deliver a net zero emission global economy this century and sharply increase investment in climate finance and adaptation initiatives. The deal is underpinned by a series of voluntary domestic climate action plans put forward by each country, which will be reviewed on a five yearly cycle with a view to strengthening emission reduction targets as clean technology costs fall.
In total 679 votes were cast, with 610 in favour of ratification and 31 abstentions. Just 38 MEPs voted against ratification.
All that remains now for the threshold to trigger the treaty to be reached is for the Council of Ministers to adopt the decision at a meeting tomorrow – a procedure that is expected to be a formality – and for the trading bloc to deposit its instrument of ratification with the UN on Friday.
“Today the European Union turned climate ambition into climate action,” EU President Jean-Claude Juncker said in a statement. “The Paris Agreement is the first of its kind and it would not have been possible were it not for the European Union. Today we continued to show leadership and prove that, together, the European Union can deliver.”
The Paris Agreement, which was reached last year at the COP21 climate summit in Paris, can only come into force 30 days after at least 55 countries representing at least 55 per cent of global emissions ratify.
So far 62 countries have ratified, representing 51.89 per cent of global emissions. As such the addition of the EU – which represents around 12 per cent of emissions – is enough to tip the global climate agreement over the threshold needed for it to enter into force.
In parallel to the EU’s ratification, Member States will also need to ratify the Paris Agreement individually over coming months in line with national legislative processes. The British Prime Minister Theresa May has said the UK will ratify the agreement by the end of the year.
Nick Mabey, chief executive of green think tank E3G, said the EU has today been rewarded for its long-term position as a leader in global climate politics.
“It is fitting that EU ratification will bring the Paris Agreement into force, as the EU has done more than anyone to build political support for truly global climate action,” he said in a statement. “Tomorrow Europe must turn to implementation, unite its citizens and build its economy within a secure low carbon society. The hard work starts now and so do the opportunities.”
Richard Benyon, MP for Newbury and a former Conservative Environment Minister, said the agreement will deliver significant opportunities for British industry.
“The speedy ratification of the Paris climate agreement is fantastic news,” he said. “The Prime Minister and her Cabinet are to be congratulated for signaling unequivocally Britain’s backing, which of course continues the long history of Conservative leadership on tackling climate change stretching back to Margaret Thatcher.
“Britain now has a real chance to cement the opportunities presented by the low-carbon transition into the heart of a new industrial strategy, as Greg Clark highlighted in his Conference speech yesterday. The reality is that Britain is engaged on a transition to clean energy – today’s news that solar power generated more electricity that coal-fired power stations over the last six months is the latest indication that new, clean technologies are supplanting the dirty ones of the last century – and we’re excellently placed to shine as this new industrial revolution gathers pace.”
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