Four months after negotiating a global climate agreement in Paris, more than 150 countries, including Caribbean nations, are slated to sign the deal. However, the historic pact will not come into effect until it has been ratified by 55 countries.
According to the Caribbean 360, Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary General, hailed the agreement as a landmark of international cooperation on one of the world's most complex issues. The secretary general hopes for a fast paced ratification that he will consider as one of his lasting political legacies before stepping down.
But according to experts, signatures of world leaders would not be enough to make the Paris agreement operational. The ratification process requires all countries to go through legal requirements. It is said that to be operational, the treaty must have at least 55 countries that will represent 55% of the global emissions to complete the steps.
The ratification made poorer countries fear that they will be left out and not be able to influence the rules and the organization of the new deal. Reid Detchon of the United Nations Foundation said some suggest that smaller countries should not sign the deal in order to get a better one. However, he believes that with the number of developing countries joining the talks, it just goes to show that the nations believe in the success of the deal as per BBC.
As reported by the News Sentinel, the objective of the agreement is to keep the global temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius. Scientists believe that at that level, the worst effects of climate change can be avoided. A goal to limit the temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius is also part of the plan. Studies show that since the industrial revolution, temperatures have already risen to almost 1 degree.
On the other hand, Shane Tomlinson, a fellow researcher at the Chatham House, said people should not wait ten years for the Paris agreement to gain its credibility. He added that the expected emissions in 2025 will be around 11 gigatonnes. But the International Alliance of Frontline Communities said that the Paris agreement is just a dangerous distraction from the real issue. Environmentalist and indigenous leaders believe that the whole deal is not worth the paper.
