Dhaka, Apr 19 (UNB) – More than 160 countries have so far confirmed that they will sign the Paris Agreement on climate change on April 22, the first day that the agreement will be open for signature.
“Next Friday will truly be a historic moment. It’ll be a great moment for multilateral efforts and this (UN) organisation,” said Selwin Hart, Director of the UN Secretary General’s Climate Support team, disclosing the number on Tuesday night through a videoconference from the UN Headquarters in New York. Dan Shepard, Information Officer, Communications Campaign Service,Department of Public Information and Janos Tisovszky, Chief of Information Center Service, DPI were present. M Moniruzzaman, Office-in-Charge, UN Information Centre, Dhaka coordinated the videoconference from Dhaka.
Environment and Forests Minister Anwar Hossain Manju is now on his way to represent Bangladesh on behalf of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the signing ceremony. The historic climate agreement was adopted in December last in Paris.
The signing ceremony will be hosted by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on April 22 at the UN Headquarters in New York.
This would surpass the previous record of 119 signatures for an opening day signing for an international agreement, set by the Law of the Sea in Montego Bay in 1982.
“On April 22, we will break a three-decade old record on signature to an international agreement. From that perspective it will be historic,” Hart told media across the world mentioning that the political commitment all saw in Paris remains “strong”.
He also said some 10 countries have indicated that they will deposit their instruments of ratification at the signing ceremony.
Asked about others countries who are yet to make commitment to sign the deal, Hart said, “….countries can still sign. However, the collective image of over 160 countries signing is a powerful one.”
He described the Paris agreement as a win-win deal for all parties as it benefits the large, small and island countries showing “multilateralism” is only protection.
Asked how small and vulnerable countries can benefit, Hart said, “Your country can benefit in many ways. Climate change is a global challenge but its impact is local.”
So, he added, if countries around the world don’t reduce emissions and address climate change issues at a scale required, the impact will get worst around the world.
Hart mentioned that the deal is also important for countries to cooperate on clean energy solutions.
“It also prioritizes adaptation, loss and damage which are important for small and poor countries,” he added.
The fact is that, Hart said, small, big, rich and poor countries were able to agree to take ambitious actions to address climate change and it will benefit all.
It has reaffirmed that developed countries should continue to take lead but all countries need to make efforts to address the climate change.
Hart said last lear was a great year on climate change front and the climate deal establishes a new transparency system which will ensure much greater accountability and help build trust and confidence among countries.
It contains very ambitious provisions on adaptation, loss and damage which are major priorities for climate vulnerable countries, he added.
Besides, more countries have informally indicated that they will sign the agreement with the numbers increasing rapidly each week.
“Paris was historic,” the Secretary-General said ahead of the signing ceremony. “But it’s only the beginning. We must urgently accelerate our efforts to tackle climate change. I encourage all countries to sign the Paris Agreement on 22 April so we can turn aspirations into action.”
Heads of State and Government will attend the ceremony, including French President François Hollande, demonstrating the continued high level of engagement by world leaders to accept and implement the Paris Agreement.
The signing ceremony will mark the first step toward ensuring that the Paris Agreement enters into force as early as possible.
The agreement will enter into force 30 days after at least 55 countries, accounting for 55 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, deposit their instruments of ratification or acceptance with the Secretary-General.
The April 22 signing ceremony will also bring together leaders from civil society and the private sector to discuss efforts to boost financing for climate action and sustainable development, and to increase actions that would achieve the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting average global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius.
