World leaders gather to sign historic Paris climate agreement

New York, (IINA) - Representatives from more than 165 countries will be gathering at the UN headquarters on Friday to sign the Paris climate agreement, according to media reports.
The agreement, whose text was was passed by nearly 200 countries in Paris last December, is the first universal action plan intended to mitigate the impacts of climate change and hold the rise in global average temperature to below 2 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels.
French President Francois Hollande and actor Leonardo DiCaprio, a UN messenger of peace focusing on climate change, will join UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and several other leaders for the signing ceremony.
The agreement will go into effect 30 days after 55 countries accounting for at least 55 percent of global greenhouse emissions ratify it.
The number of countries signing the agreement is expected to surpass the previous record of 119 for an international agreement on opening day.
Islamic leaders from around the world will also present the UN with a declaration in support of the climate agreement.
AG/IINA

Let's block ads! (Why?)