UN chief Ban Ki-moon welcomes India joining Paris climate deal

United Nations: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed India formally joining the Paris climate change agreement.

"India now joins the 61 other parties that have deposited their instruments of ratification, which, including India, together account for close to 52 per cent of total global greenhouse emissions," Xinhua news agency cited a statement released by Ban`s spokesperson as saying on Sunday.

The Paris Agreement, adopted in December last year, needs 55 nations that together account for 55 percent of the global greenhouse gas emissions to ratify before it can formally enter into force.

"India`s leadership moves the world an important step closer toward the 55 percent threshold needed for the historic agreement`s entry into force this year.

"The Secretary-General calls on all parties to accelerate their domestic procedures in order to join the agreement as soon as possible this year," it said.

India launched, with France, the International Solar Alliance, which will contribute to the realisation of the objectives of the Paris agreement by facilitating access to solar energy.

The Indian cabinet, on September 28, decided to ratify the Paris Agreement.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced during the BJP National Council meeting late last month that India would ratify the 21st Conference of Parties (CoP) protocol on combating climate change on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi`s birth anniversary on October 2.

The much-anticipated Paris Agreement is the third international document on addressing climate change, following the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the 1997 Kyoto Protocol.