175 Nations Meet to Sign the Paris Agreement on Climate Change

Francois Hollande, President of France( left), listens as Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, (right), speaks during a news conference Friday at the United Nations headquarters. (Photo: AP)

Representatives from 175 countries met on Friday at the UN to sign the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and made clear the urgency of taking action to stop global warming.

In order for the accord to take effect, at least 55 countries responsible for 55 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions must complete the ratification process.

At least 15 countries, mostly small island states, have already done so, on Friday.

German Minister of the Environment Barbara Hendricks signs the Paris Agreement on climate change, on Friday UN headquarters.  (Photo: AP)

The two countries leading the world in emissions of greenhouse gases, the US and China, committed themselves on Friday to complete the ratification process this year.

The speeches by world leaders highlighted their sense of urgency about the need to stop global warming and go beyond the commitments of the Paris Agreement.

Record global temperatures. Record ice loss. Record carbon levels in the atmosphere. We are in a race against time. Today (Friday) is a day for our children and grandchildren and all generations to come. Together, let us turn the aspirations of Paris into action. As you show by the very act of signing today, the power to build a better world is in your hands.

<b>Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary General</b>

Illustrating that statement, Secretary of State John Kerry sealed the pact in the name of the US accompanied by his two-year-old granddaughter, Isabelle who was sitting on his lap. He said his country “looks forward to formally joining this agreement this year”.

France was given the honour to sign the pact first, in recognisation of its hosting of the UN climate change conference in Paris in December 2015, which gave birth to the pact after nearly two weeks of tough negotiations.

A delegate of more than 60 leaders and hundreds of national representatives meeting in the chamber of the General Assembly listened to a strong speech by actor Leonardo DiCaprio, a UN Messenger of Peace on the subject of climate change.

This is the only body that can do what is needed. You, sitting in this very hall. The world is now watching. You will either be lauded by future generations, or vilified by them.

<b>Leonardo DiCaprio, Actor</b>

Actor Leonardo Di Caprio, a United Nations Messenger of Peace, speaks at the signing ceremony for the Paris Agreement on climate change on Friday. (Photo: AP)

However, there remain quite a few obstacles for the achievement of this ambitious goal, particularly the divergence between developed and developing countries over thorny issues like funding, responsibility and technology transfer.

Scientists said the monthly global temperature record has kept being broken over the past 11 months, and that 2015 has become the planet’s warmest year since the late 19th century, Xinhua news agency reported.

After Friday, countries still have one year to ink the Paris Agreement, which remains open for signature till 21 April 2017.