Environmental groups and organisations battling global warming have hailed the coming into force today (November 4) of the Paris Agreement on governmental action to limit climate change.
 
The Paris Agreement marks the first time that governments have agreed legally binding limits to global temperature rises.

Under the agreement, all governments that have ratified the accord, which includes the US, China, India and the EU, now carry an obligation to hold global warming to no more than 2C above pre-industrial levels. That is what scientists regard as the limit of safety, beyond which climate change is likely to become catastrophic and irreversible.

Nearly 200 countries have signed the agreement.

Abu Dhabi-based International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) has welcomed the coming into force of the Paris Agreement and congratulated those parties whose leadership made this a reality.

Irena director-general Adnan Z Amin said in a statement: "The fact that this happened more quickly than anyone thought possible, sends a clear signal that governments are prepared to take urgent, decisive action. Renewable energy is central to that action, as reflected by its inclusion in the nationally determined contributions of nearly 150 governments."

Irena also welcomes the bold commitments made by the private sector, which is further bolstering momentum, he said.

"But this is only the beginning. Turning commitments into action must start now so that history will view this moment as a watershed for the global energy transition; the moment we rolled up our sleeves and decided to get the job done.

"Renewable energy has made remarkable progress in the last decade, transforming from an almost attainable option, to one that is economically and technically preferable. Combined with energy efficiency, it provides an immediate, viable and affordable solution to the challenge of climate change. Irena stands ready to support countries to achieve their climate action strategies through the scale up of renewable energy.”  - TradeArabia News Service