The European Council has adopted the decision for EU ratification of the Paris Agreement to reduce greenhouse gases. Member states will now either ratify the Agreement together with the EU if they have completed their national procedures, or as soon as possible thereafter.
The Paris Agreement commits participating countries to working to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and transparently reporting those results with the goal of keeping global temperature rise from pre-industrial levels below 2°C (3.6°F) by 2100. The Paris Agreement was adopted in Paris, France at the UN climate conference in December 2015.
In order to enter into force, at least 55 Parties accounting for at least 55 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions were required, with the Agreement then entering into force 30 days later. So far 75 countries have ratified, providing for the necessary threshold for entry into force. The Paris Agreement will now enter into force on 4 November 2016.
The first session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA1) will take place in Marrakech from 7-18 November 2016.