Ban Ki-moon welcomes India-US commitment to climate agreement

United Nations, June 9: Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the commitment of India and the United States to Paris Agreement on Climate Change and their mission to reduce greenhouse gases as a sign of the growing global momentum for implementing the pact.

Ban has commended "the joint statement on climate change made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Barack Obama, announcing their support for early entry into force of the Paris Agreement," Ban's spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said Wednesday.

"The announcement is one of a number of events that demonstrates the growing momentum towards the rapid entry into force and successful implementation of the Paris Agreement," Dujarric added.

In their joint statement Tuesday in Washington the two leaders reiterated their nation's ratify the agreement, the US this year and India to start preparations for it without a stated target date.

Obama is likely to bypass a hostile Senate and ratify it through an executive agreement. Modi does not need parliamentary approval to ratify it. The ratification of both India and US would be likely be required to reach the thresholds of the proportion of greenhouse gas emitters needed for the Paris Agreement to come into force.

Dujarric said Ban "is further encouraged by the resolve of India and the United States to pursue low greenhouse gas emission development strategies and successful outcomes this year to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the Montreal Protocol, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Assembly, and the G20."

The Montreal Protocol provides for phasing out substances that endanger the ozone layer like hydrochlorofluorocarbons used in refrigerators. The ICAO pursues efforts to reduce greehouse emissions by aircraft. G20, the group of major economies, is committed to introduced heavy-duty vehicle standards and efficiency to reduce emissions.

IANS