Buhari signs Paris Agreement on climate

• Unveils Nigeria’s commitment to reducing emissions
• Deal hits fresh milestone, as 31 countries join

Ahead November’s summit in Marrakesh, Morocco, the Paris Agreement on climate change has inched closer to coming into force. Thirty-one more countries on Wednesday joined the deal at a special event in New York, hosted by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

President Muhammadu Buhari said his signing of the Agreement demonstrated Nigeria’s commitment to global effort to reverse effects of the negative trend.

Buhari said this while addressing the opening of the meeting on Taking Climate Action for Sustainable Development in New York, co-hosted by Nigeria and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), as one of the side events of the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA71).

He stated Nigeria’s commitment to reducing “Green House gas emissions unconditionally by 20 per cent and conditionally by 45 per cent.”

Several large emitting countries, which had not yet completed their domestic approval processes in time for the event, also announced they were committed to joining the agreement this year.

The Agreement will enter into force 30 days after 55 countries, representing 55 per cent global emissions, deposit their instruments of ratification, acceptance or accession with the Secretary-General.

One of the two thresholds for entry into force has now been met. There are now 60 countries that have joined the agreement – one more than the required 55 needed

U.N. Secretary-General and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry expressed optimism that the Agreement would come into force in 2016.

While urging global support to transit to a low-carbon climate resilient economy, Buhari reminded industrialised nations “to play their role and deliver on their commitments on access to climate finance and technology transfer, and help with capacity-building.”

He added: “Expectations are high for their leaders to deliver US$100 billion per year by 2020 in support of developing countries, to take climate action, thus keeping promise to billions of people.”

Buhari also called on the international community to “give special recognition to the plight of Lake Chad and support our effort to resuscitate the livelihoods of over 5 million people in the region.”