Historic step towards EU ratification of Paris Climate Agreement

EU ministers today approved the ratification of the Paris Agreement by the European Union bringing it very close to entering into force.

EU ministers today approved the ratification of the Paris Agreement by the European Union at an extraordinary meeting of the Environment Council in Brussels.

President Jean-Claude Juncker said: ” (…) I am happy to see that today the Member States decided to make history together and bring closer the entry into force of the first ever universally binding climate change agreement (…).”

Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Cañetesaid:  “(…) We are reaching a critical period for decisive climate action. And when the going gets tough, Europe gets going.(…)”

Next week, the European Parliament is expected to give its formal consent. After the subsequent formal Council ratification decision, the EU and those Member States, which have already ratified the Agreement, will be able to deposit the ratification instrument.

In the press conference following the extraordinary Council meeting, Commissioner Arias Cañete urged all countries to put the Paris Agreement into practice.

The EU played a decisive role in the adoption of the Paris Agreement in December 2015 and is implementing an ambitious climate policy.

So far, 61 countries, accounting for almost 48% of global emissions have ratified the deal.  The Agreement will enter into force 30 days after at least 55 countries, representing at least 55% of global emissions have ratified.

Compliments of the European Commission