New York / AMN
India finally ratified the historic Paris Agreement on climate change. It will give a significant push for the deal to enter into force by the end of this year. The agreement is expected to give momentum to implementation of measures at international level to control global warming.
Permanent Representative to the United Nations Syed Akbaruddin handed over the Instrument of Ratification signed by President Pranab Mukherjee, to Santiago Villalpando, the Head of the Treaties Division at the UN in a special ceremony in New York today. The ceremony was attended by top UN officials and senior diplomats to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary.
Lauding India’s climate leadership, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, India’s ratification of the agreement moves the world an important step closer towards achieving the goal of entering the landmark deal into force this year.
In his message for the International Day of Non-violence, marked every year on Gandhi’s birth anniversary, Mr Ban said, there is no better way to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi and his legacy for people and the planet than with India submitting its instrument of ratification to the deal.
Meanwhile in a tweet message, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said, India has kept its promise on Gandhiji’s birth anniversary. Earlier on Friday, Mr Akbaruddin said, India had played a key role in the negotiations and finalisation of the Paris agreement as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a personal commitment to the climate deal.
Marking a moment in history, India had joined over 170 countries in signing the pact in April that brought together developing and developed nations for beginning work on cutting down greenhouse gas emissions to combat global warming. Earlier this month, the US and China had formally ratified the Paris agreement, which was adopted by 195 parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change last December in Paris.
The pact will come into force after it has been ratified by at least 55 countries which account for 55 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. With India’s move, a total of 62 countries accounting for almost 52 per cent of emissions, have ratified the accord.
Welcoming the ratification of Paris Agreement by India, US President Barack Obama said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indian people have carried on the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, who believed in a world worthy of our children.
France has also welcomed the ratification of the Paris Climate Agreement by India. In an official communique, French President office said, the decision, coming after the decision of the Environment Ministers of the European Union, brings the world closer to the entry into force of the Paris agreement before the end of the year.
French President François Hollande recalled India’s key role in the adoption of this agreement in December last year. India had also launched, with France, the International Solar Alliance, which will contribute to the realization of the objectives of the Paris agreement by facilitating access to solar energy.