Member nations of the European Union have agreed to fast-track their collective ratification of the Paris climate change agreement, Bloomberg reported on Friday. The European Parliament is expected to hold a plenary vote to ratify the climate deal October 4. The EU has aimed to formally approve the accord by October 7, which will then allow the treaty to come into effect 30 days after that.
However, Poland has opposed the EU’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 40% below 1990 levels by 2030 as the country depends on coal for its energy needs, according to Reuters. The collective ratification of the Paris agreement will ensure joint approval of the deal as well as a temporary solution to the disputes within the bloc. “We cannot start horse-trading over the different national ideas on climate policy,” said Germany’s Environment Minister Jochen Flasbarth. An EU official said the bloc, which is the world’s third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, “cannot just talk, but also has to deliver on its promises”.
China and the United States have both ratified the accord, with India pledging to do the same on October 2. At least 55 countries that account for 55% of the world’s harmful emissions need to ratify the agreement before it comes into effect. China is responsible for over 20% of global emissions, followed by the US (17.9%). Russia accounts for 7.5% of emissions and India for 4.1%. The next annual United Nations conference on climate change is scheduled to begin on November 7.
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