These are the two most polluting countries in the world: China and the United States ratified on Saturday the Paris climate agreement for the enviroment. Two initials that revive hope for a coming into force by the end of the year the agreement reached at the COP21.
The announcement of the ratification by the two great powers on the eve of the G20 summit opening in Hangzhou, China. This decision, which alone account for 38% of global emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG), is a major step in the implementation process of the agreement adopted on December 12 after the COP21 the 21st conference of Parties to the framework Convention of the UN on climate change.
The US and China have also lent their support to a C02 emissions cap in civil aviation agreement, to be finalized at a meeting of the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) in the month and come into force in 2021. the fixed-Paris agreement intended to contain the rise in average global temperature “well below 2 ° C” compared to pre-industrial levels and s’ try to limit this increase to 1.5 ° C.
Greenhouse gas
It lays the foundation for a controlling emissions of greenhouse causing climatic disturbances in laying down the framework of political commitments, economic, financial and advocates a rapid energy transition to cleaner sources, such as solar or wind energy. to enter into force it must be ratified by at least 55 countries representing 55% of greenhouse gas emissions. Once this dual threshold is crossed, the law applies within thirty days. Before the announcement of Beijing and Washington, 23 states representing just 2% of total GHG emissions had formally ratified the Paris Agreement, according to an official count of the UN.
France has ratified in June, becoming the first industrialized country to take the plunge. The country accounts for only 1.2% of global emissions while it accounts for 4.2% of global GDP, according to the French Ministry of the Environment. Brian Deese, adviser to President Barack Obama, said that India, which represents 4.1% of GHG emissions, is also preparing to ratify the agreement.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to meet Obama on the sidelines head to head from the top of Hangzhou, southwest of Shanghai. The Sino-US announcement could also encourage countries such as Brazil and Canada, also present in China, soon ratify the Paris agreement. Russia is responsible for its 7.5% of emissions. “We expect a surge in the number of ratifications during the week of the UN on the current climate September,” said Bill Hare, director of the NGO Climate Analytics.
The implementation of the agreement still distant
The United Nations has scheduled a meeting on the 21st September to accelerate the ratification process. Met Sunday and Monday in Hangzhou, the group of the twenty largest economies in the world represents 80% of global carbon emissions. In general, it is the national parliaments ratify the agreement on the climate but the US administration has preferred to use an executive order to avoid to go through the Senate Republican majority.
The decision could however be affected by the review in the coming weeks by an appeal filed by 27 US states in a federal court to block the Clean Power Plan, which reduces CO2 emissions from power plants. Republicans are not immune from questioning the legality of the administrative act used by the White House to ratify the Paris agreement.
If Hillary Clinton, Democratic candidate in the presidential election of November 8, the United States, supports the climate agreement, her Republican rival Donald Trump did not believe climate change and promises to reject the agreement of Paris if he is elected.
