Global Paris Agreement on Climate Change will go into effect by its EU ratification

The Council of the European Union has increased the tempo of the process

Paris Agreement - UNFC Climate Change.mp4

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-IzBTL13CZZM1REQWpvcEx6SEk/view?usp=drive_web

Paris Agreement - UNFC Climate Change

The Council has agreed to accelerate the EU ratification of the Paris Agreement for global action on Climate Change. The Council decided to go ahead with ratification at EU level. Member States will ratify either together with the EU if they have completed their National procedures, or as soon as possible thereafter. To open the way for EU ratification, ministers endorsed a Council decision on EU conclusion of the Agreement and ask the European Parliament for its consent.

The Slovak Minister for the Environment and current President of the Council, László Sólymos, said: "Today is an important day not only for our action on climate but also for unity we have demonstrated. This means that EU and its Member States will add their weight to trigger the entry into force of the Paris Agreement. Europe has shown leadership in Paris and will participate in its implementation in Marrakech. Action for climate remains essential for livelihood of our planet and future generations".

President Juncker also welcomed the Council's decision: "Today's decision shows that the European Union delivers on promises made. It demonstrates that the Member States can find common ground when it is clear that acting together, as part of the European Union, their impact is bigger than the mere sum of its parts. 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. We must and we can hand over to future generations a world that is more stable, a healthier planet, fairer societies and more prosperous economies. This is not a dream. This is a reality and it is within our reach. Today we are closer to it."

Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy, Arias Cañete, stated: "They said Europe is too complicated to agree quickly. They said we had too many hoops to jump through. They said we were all talk. Today's decision shows what Europe is all about: unity and solidarity as Member States take a European approach, just as we did in Paris. We are reaching a critical period for decisive climate action. And when the going gets tough, Europe gets going."

The Commission has already brought forward the main legislative proposals to deliver on the EU's commitment to reduce emissions in the European Union by at least 40% by 2030.

Council Agreement on EU ratification - Commissioner Arias Cañete - original.mp4

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-IzBTL13CZZVDlqVnNqLXdEc2M/view?usp=drive_web

Press conference by Commissioner Arias Cañete. Source: ECAV

The Parliament will vote on Tuesday to give its consent to the ratification

For Environment Committee chair, Giovanni La Via, the Council's decision allows the EU to remain a leader in climate action ahead of the next round of talks to take place in Marrakech in November, 7th-18th.

“I welcome the decision by environment ministers to allow for a timely EU ratification. This decision will permit Parliament to conclude the Agreement and will send a strong signal and highlight the leadership of the EU and its Member States and their continuing efforts to address Climate Change at International level”, said La Via.

“The prospect that the Paris Agreement might enter into force without the EU as a signatory, considering the EU’s leadership on the fight against Climate Change, its role in the Kyoto Protocol, and its continuous efforts towards a subsequent Universal treaty, would have been unthinkable”, he added.

Once the Plenary gives its approval next Tuesday, the decision will be formally adopted and the EU will then be able to deposit its ratification instrument before National ratification processes are completed in each Member State.

Paris Agreement entry into force

The Conference of Parties' Agreement, COP21 Paris, will enter into force on the 30th day after the date on which at least 55 Parties, out of 197, to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change accounting in total for at least an estimated 55% of the total global greenhouse gas, GHGs, emissions have deposited their instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession with the UN Depositary.

To date, 61 parties, including the US and China, have ratified the Convention, accounting for 47.79% of global GHG emissions, while India will ratify the Paris Agreement on the 2nd of October 2016, the day of Gandhi Jayanti, a National festival celebrated in India to mark the occasion of the birthday of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, the "Father of the Nation". India’s decision to ratify the agreement will take the number of cumulative level of emission of countries that have ratified the agreement so far to 51.89%. The EU’s ratification of the Paris Agreement will enable it to enter into force, by fulfilling the second criterion of 55% of global emissions.

Article 47 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) explicitly recognises the legal personality of the European Union, making it an independent entity in its own right. The conferral of legal personality on the EU means that it has the ability to conclude and negotiate International agreements in accordance with its external commitments as well as become a member of International organisations.