India is among at least 171 countries that will sign the Paris climate deal on Friday, reported AFP. This is a record number for a single-day signing of an international agreement, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, adding that "this is a moment in history". Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar will sign the deal on behalf of India, after the Union Cabinet approved it on Thursday, reported PTI.
The historic climate change pact was sealed in December last year by 196 countries participating in the UN climate change conference in Paris, following days of intense discussions to settle differences.
The legally-binding pact contains pledges by individual nations to significantly reduce emissions from the burning of fossil fuels and limit global warming to "well below" two degrees Celsius. Developed countries also committed to provide developing nations at least $100 billion a year from 2020 as assistance, but this was not included in the legally-binding section of the deal following objections from the United States.
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