The Inside Story of the Paris Climate Agreement and its importance for Earth Day.
April 22nd is celebrated as the International Mother Earth Day. In addition to this, a high-level signing ceremony, convened by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, took place as a first step in implementing the Paris Climate Agreement, which was adopted in Paris, France, on 12 December 2015.
Countries will need to adopt the agreement within their own legal systems, through ratification, acceptance, approval or accession. The agreement will enter into force when joined by at least 55 countries, which together represent at least 55% of global emissions. In addition to a signing ceremony in the morning, national statements was presented throughout the day and a High-level event on implementation convened in the afternoon.
At the historic meeting, more than 155 countries have committed to sign the Paris Climate Agreement on Climate Change at the headquarters of the United Nations (UN) in New York. The agreement was approved by the 196 Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention of the Climate Change (UNFCCC) in COP21 in Paris on Dec. 12, 2015. In the agreement, all countries pledged to work to limit the temperature rise overall below 2 degrees Celsius, but are aiming to achieve a temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius.
