International.
China and the United States announced the ratification of the Paris global climate agreement during the last D-20 Summit held in the eastern country.
Both nations together are responsible for 40% of the world's carbon emissions. President Barack Obama: "History will judge the efforts we make today as crucial."
In a landmark agreement reached in December, the countries stipulated reducing emissions enough so that the global average increase in temperatures does not exceed 2C.
The White House issued a statement Saturday announcing U.S. ratification.
In a speech in Hangzhou, Obama declared that the Paris agreement was "the best opportunity to confront a problem that can transform this planet." And he praised Chinese leaders for their ratification of the treaty: "We are making significant progress for the world towards the goal we have set for ourselves."
Before the ratification of both countries, the 23 nations that had signed the agreement only accounted for 1% of global emissions.
The Paris Agreement is the world's first comprehensive agreement on climate change. It will only enter into force legally after it is ratified by at least 55 countries, which together produce 55% of global carbon emissions.
Members of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress welcomed "the proposal to review and ratify the Paris Agreement on Saturday" after a week of discussion.
The key points of the Paris agreement are as follows:
- Keep the global temperature rise "well below" 2C (36F) and continue efforts to limit it to 1.5C (27F).
- Peak greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible and achieve a balance between sources and sinks of greenhouse gases in the second half of this century.
- Review progress every five years.
- $100 billion a year in climate finance for developing countries by 2020, with the commitment of additional financing in the future
- Once the agreement enters into force, countries that have ratified it have to wait a minimum of three years before they leave+
Source: BBC Mundo.
