Brussels, 25/04/2016 (Agence Europe) - On an unprecedented day for an international climate agreement, 175 parties, including the EU and its 28 member states and major emitters, such as the United States and China, signed the Paris Accord in New York on Friday 22 April, the first possible day for signing, Ban Ki-moon was quick to point out.
These signatories already account for 93% of global emissions, according to the World Resource Institute (WRI). To come into force, this historic agreement will now have to be ratified by at least 55 countries which together produce 55% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
France President François Hollande, whose country has already begun its national ratification procedure, France having chaired COP 21, called on all the signatory countries to do likewise “without delay” and expressed the hope that the EU would “set the example” by ratifying it “between now and the end of the year”.
Speaking on behalf of the EU, Climate Action and Energy Commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete could not guarantee that that would be so for the 28 member countries, each responsible for its own ratification process, but gave assurances that the EU would ratify the Paris Accord as quickly as possible. The European Council of March this year expressed the same desire.
“When it comes to ratifying the Paris Agreement, Europe will do so by securing the support of our 29 parliaments (Ed: the 28 national parliaments and the European Parliament), and by demonstrating that we will have the policies in place to meet our commitments. And let me assure you - it will be done as soon as possible. Before the start of this summer, the European Commission will present a proposal to our Member States to ratify the Paris Agreement on behalf of the European Union. This will take some time, but it will ensure that when we act, we will act on a solid legal basis”, the commissioner said.
This particularity of the largest bloc of signatory countries to the agreement complicates matters since many of them want to know the target that will be assigned them in the sharing of effort in the non-ETS sectors before launching their national ratification procedures. Poland is often highlighted as it is the member state that speaks out most forcibly but others share the same demand (the United Kingdom and Italy, for instance).
“Our commitment to this Agreement, like that of all those who were in that room in Paris, is irreversible and non-negotiable”, stated Cañete, aiming his remarks at all the member states, as if to avert the threat of the EU's being marginalised, should the agreement come into effect before it had completed its ratification process (see EUROPE 11537). He also made the point that “Europe has some of the broadest shoulders in the world and we are ready to continue leading by example”. As proof he said the EU already has in place its climate-energy policies “that are triggering the low-carbon revolution”, it has already reformed its carbon market (ETS) and is currently working hard on updating the legislation necessary to “go further and faster”. “That is why we have set ourselves a tough target of cutting emissions by at least 40% by 2030”, he stated, noting nonetheless that “we account for only 9% of global emissions”. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)