Friday marks World Earth Day, and a significant event will occur as senior leaders from China, India and the U.S. will join almost 160 others in New York to attend the signing ceremony for the Paris Agreement on Climate Control which was worked out by almost 200 countries on Dec. 12 of last year after four years of debate and negotiation.

The Climate Agreement aims to limit global warming to "well below" 2℃, aiming for 1.5℃. This will require emissions to reach their peak and begin to rapidly decrease. Ultimately, the agreement will eliminate the use of coal, oil and gas for energy with fossil fuels to be replaced by alternatives such as solar and wind power.

Recognizing that climate control will require the cooperation of all countries, developed nations will agree to provide US$100b a year from 2020 to help developing nations. The ceremony will be convened by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and is a first step in implementing the Paris Agreement, which was adopted in Paris, France, on Dec. 12, 2015. During the next phase, the agreement will be open for signatures in New York until Apr. 17, 2017. Countries who are signatories will need to adopt the agreement within their own legal systems, through a treaty process of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession.

The agreement enters into force when joined by at least 55 countries, which together represent at least 55 percent of the planet's global emissions. Individual countries, in addition to signing the agreement, will also issue national statements throughout the day. The good news is that more than 160 countries are sending their people to New York to sign the Paris agreement -- the largest ever signing of an international treaty.

While signing the treaty is an important and significant step, what counts in the end is not signing treaties but taking action and making a real difference. In this regard, it is highly significant that the world's two leading economies and first and third largest countries in the world are working together and committed to this vital cause.

This is the 46th year for the Earth Day movement which was established in 1970 as a vehicle to raise environmental awareness and encourage and promote activity to protect the environment.

Eugene Clark is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:

http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/eugeneclark.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors only, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.

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