The Cook Islands on Thursday became the 24th nation to submit its document of ratification for the Paris Agreement on climate change. The Paris Agreement, the first global climate change accord, will enter into force 30 days after 55 nations representing at least 55 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions have deposited their instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval, or accession to the United Nations.
The Cook Islands is responsible for 0.00 percent of global emissions, meaning its ratification doesn’t move the dial on the 55 percent requirement. The nations that have ratified the agreement to date account for a total of 1.08 percent of global emissions.
The U.N. will host a special event on Sept. 21 at its headquarters in New York to give nations an opportunity to formally join the agreement, which is expected to enter into force in late 2016 or early 2017.
Unconfirmed reports suggest China and the United States, respectively the world’s No. 1 and 2 GHG emitters, will join the agreement ahead of the Group of 20 Summit this weekend.
