(BRUSSELS) – In an historic move, EU environment ministers approved Friday ratification of the Paris climate agreement, bringing the global climate deal very close to entering into force.
At an extraordinary Council meeting, they agreed to speed up the process of ratification of the Paris agreement, which sets the framework for global action on climate change.
The Council will go ahead with ratification at EU level. Member states will ratify either together with the EU if they have completed their national procedures, or as soon as possible thereafter.
To open the way for EU ratification, ministers endorsed a Council decision on EU conclusion of the agreement and asked the European Parliament for its consent.
Once MEPs give their own green light, at their plenary session on Tuesday, the EU will be able to deposit its ratification instrument before national ratification processes are completed in each Member State.
The Paris Agreement is a ‘mixed agreement’, which means that some of the issues it covers are the responsibility of the EU and others of Member States. It therefore has to be ratified by both the EU and all 28 Member States.
So far 61 countries, accounting for almost 48% of global emissions, have ratified the deal. The Agreement comes into force 30 days after at least 55 countries, representing at least 55% of global emissions have ratified.
If the threshold is met by 7 October 2016, the agreement will enter into force in time for the beginning of Marrakesh UN climate change conference (COP22) on 7 November 2016. The first meeting of the parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA) could therefore be convened during the conference. By ratifying the EU secures its full participation at this meeting.
“Today is an important day not only for our action on climate but also for unity we have demonstrated”, said Slovak Environment minister Laszlo Solymos, for the EU presidency. “This means that EU and its member states will add their weight to trigger the entry into force of the Paris Agreement.”
“This is the day that we put to bed any doubts that the whole European Union is fully committed to join the Paris Agreement,” said the EU’s Environment Commisisoner Miguel Arias Canete.
The Council also adopted conclusions on preparations for the upcoming UN climate change conference (COP 22) in Marrakesh on 7-18 November.
Following the Paris conference of December 2015, at which the Paris Agreement was adopted, the Marrakesh conference is due to focus on the agreement’s action and implementation. Ministers expect, among other things, that progress is made to elaborate the details of the agreement.
