New Zealand ratifies Paris Agreement as EU sets to join accord
New Zealand on Tuesday 4 October, 2016 deposited its instrument of ratification of the Paris Agreement bringing the number of states that have ratified the agreement to 63 accounting in total for 52.11% of green house gas.
Similarly, the European Union Parliament are to debate on ratification of the accord this week following the approval given by the Ministers last week for the EU to join the Paris Agreement.
With just about three percent left to meet the 55 percent green house gas emitters that ratified the agreement before it enter into force; if the EU should ratify the accord this week, it is then certain that the historic agreement has sailed through and will come into force this year.
At the twenty-first session of the Conference of the Parties (COP), held in Paris, France, the Parties adopted the Paris Climate Change Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
The Agreement was opened for signature on 22 April 2016 at a high-level signature ceremony convened by the Secretary General in New York. At that ceremony, 174 States and the European Union signed the agreement and 15 States also deposited their instruments of ratification.
As of 4 October 2016, there are 191 signatories to the Paris Agreement. Of these, 63 States have now deposited their instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval accounting in total for 52.11% of total global greenhouse gas emissions, as calculated under the official list that Parties provided under the Paris Agreement.
The Agreement shall enter into force on the thirtieth day after the date on which at least 55 Parties to the Convention accounting in total for at least an estimated 55% of the total global greenhouse gas emissions have deposited their instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession with the Depositary.
