Paris Agreement And Aftermath, What Happens On 22nd April And Beyond ?

Features

A high-level signing ceremony, convened by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, will take place as a first step in implementing the Paris Agreement, which was adopted in Paris, France, on 12 December 2015. The agreement made last December was a big victory for youth who has been advocating and pushing for substantial climate action for last several decades. Following the signing event the agreement will be open for signature in New York, US, until 17 April 2017. Countries will also need to adopt the agreement within their own legal systems, through ratification, acceptance, approval or accession. The agreement will enter into force when joined by at least 55 countries, which together represent at least 55% of global emissions.

The signing ceremony in New York is predicted to be the biggest signing of an agreement in history.According to the UN there has never been many countries present on the first day of an agreement. The more important factor is that several key countries like United States , China (7 th April) Austrailia (6 th April) and India(25th March) already pledged to sign the deal and among the number of countries to be there on 22nd April.

Late last month there were several articles in the global media suggesting  poorer countries should opt not to sign the Paris climate agreement until they receive stronger assurances on finance, technology and compensation for damage from extreme weather.However even at such a state it is encouraging to see countries getting together to pen their signatures to keep this momentum going.

It is important to note that the signing  ceremony is taking place on International Mother Earth Day. In addition to a signing ceremony in the morning, national statements will be presented throughout the day and a High-level event on implementation will convene in the afternoon. The implementation is the most important part as in any other agreement and specifically the current climate agreement should work hand in hand with the Sustainable Development Goals implementation process as well. Therefore all communities are eagerly looking forward for these two vital processes to enhance the quality of life on this mother earth and we as the youth should be motivated to spread the message among all species.