European Union ministers approved the ratification of the Paris Agreement at a historic meeting of the Environment Council in Brussels on Friday, a statement from the European Commission said. This decision brings the Paris Agreement closer to entering into force.
As of now, 61 countries, accounting for almost 48 per cent of global emissions have ratified the deal. India, which accounts for 4.1 per cent of global emissions, has agreed to ratify the deal on October 2. The 28 EU member nations together account for close to 12 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. The addition of EU and India, therefore, will take the cumulative emissions of ratifying parties to over 64 per cent, which is well beyond the 55 per cent minimum required for the treaty to enter into force.
The Paris treaty had already crossed the first requirement - of 55 countries ratifying the treaty - to enable its entry into force on September 21 at the UN Secretary-General’s special ratification ceremony organised at the UN headquarters. During that ceremony, 31 countries had submitted their ratification instruments to the UN, bringing the total count of ratifying parties to 60.
In an official statement released on Friday, the European Commission said that once approved by the European Parliament next week, the EU will be able to deposit its ratification instrument before national ratification processes are completed in each Member State. As of now, only five EU nations have ratified the Paris agreement at the national level. Friday’s approval by the EU will be forwarded to the European Parliament for its formal consent next week. Once Parliament has consented, the Council can formally adopt the decision.
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said in the statement, “Today’s decision shows that the European Union delivers on promises made. It demonstrates that the Member States can find common ground when it is clear that acting together, as part of the European Union; their impact is bigger than the mere sum of its parts. I am happy to see that today the Member States decided to make history together and bring closer the entry into force of the first ever universally binding climate change agreement.”
EU Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Cañete said, “We are reaching a critical period for decisive climate action. And when the going gets tough, Europe gets going.”
The Paris climate agreement was due for entry into force only in 2020, as the deal pertains to the post-2020 climate action agenda. However, in accordance with Article 21, paragraph 1 of 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 per cent of the total global greenhouse gas emissions have deposited their instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession with the Depositary. Most international treaties take much longer to enter into force. The Kyoto Protocol, adopted in 1997, entered into force only eight years later, in 2005. The Paris climate treaty was adopted in December last year.
Responding to Friday’s development, French Environment Minister Segolene Royal posted the message “Victory!” on her official Twitter account. Ms. Royal was part of the French government’s efforts to adopt the Paris climate agreement in 2015, where 185 countries adopted the deal.
“Europe has seized the moment in response to climate urgency. Has lived up to its responsibilities & is making history,” she tweeted, on their decision to now take the treaty to the next level.
