EU chief applauds China and US for joining climate change deal
European Council President Donald Tusk praised the decision made by China and the U.S. to ratify the Paris agreement, saying, "We are happy that the United States and China, the two biggest global emitters, ratified the agreement."
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European Council President Donald Tusk speaks at a press conference on Sept. 4. [Zhang Ruomeng/China.org.cn] |
The statement was made during a press conference on Sept. 4 ahead of the G20 Hangzhou summit, where climate change will be on the agenda.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Barack Obama submitted the legal instruments to join the Paris agreement to curb climate-warming emissions on Saturday.
Mr. Tusk said: "The ratification by China and the U.S. is for us a hope that we will no longer be alone. With major emitters around the table we need to make sure that our common priority is to implement the Paris agreement early and in a robust manner."
China and the U.S. produce a combined 38 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
"The EU is fully committed to this goal and we want to encourage all G20 members to do the same," he said. "We expect the challenge of climate change to be dealt with in all seriousness by the G20 partners."
The Paris deal, signed in December last year, will legally enter into force only after at least 55 countries accounting for at least 55 percent of global emissions agree to it.
With China and the U.S. joining the accord, the EU is now several steps behind them.
Mr. Tusk asserted that the ratification process is under way in the EU and will be completed as soon as possible.
An EU official speaking to China.org.cn on the condition of anonymity said that the EU is unlikely to be able to ratify the accord anytime soon, as it has 28 member states and every member state has its own procedures.
The official commended China and the U.S. for their leading role in signing the accord.
At COP21 last year, the EU was committed to cutting its total greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40 percent by 2030.
"Right now the EU is developing the laws which will allow us to deliver our ambitious target for 2030," Mr. Tusk said.
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