United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, will today, convene a special ‘High-Level Event on Entry into Force of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change’ at the UN Headquarters in New York for the deposit of instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession to the Paris Agreement on climate change.
With China and the United States formally joining the Paris Agreement in early September, a total of 27 countries have ratified the Paris Agreement so far, accounting for 39.08 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. The high-level event will provide an opportunity to other countries to publicly commit to joining the Paris Agreement before the end of 2016.
During his participation in the 71st UN General Assembly, President Muhammadu Buhari along other world leaders will sign the Paris Treaty on Climate at the event.
According to the nation’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, 195 countries adopted the first-ever universal, legally binding global climate deal at the Paris climate conference (COP21) in December 2015.
The agreement sets out a global action plan to put the world on track to avoid dangerous climate change by limiting global warming to well below 2°C, and is due to enter into force in 2020.
Onyeama said that top on Nigerian UN agenda during the General Assembly was to engage African Union and other countries to work towards the reform of the United Nations.
He said that the leaders would also be engaged to be more democratic and responsive to the needs of the world.
“In addition to the wave of change, Nigeria will like to propose to the UN body to create an agency dedicated for the youth,” Onyeama said.
He also assured the international community that Nigeria would support a new UN Secretary-General that would be development and Africa-friendly, as well as, sympathetic to the course of Nigeria.
While speaking on investment, power and insecurity in Nigeria, he noted that the Federal Government had established various security mechanisms to create attractive investment environment for would-be investors.
“With the fall in oil price, Nigeria is looking into diversification of its economy towards agriculture and solid minerals. It is expected that there will be a lot of investment opportunity for foreign investors during the US-Africa Business Forum, scheduled to take place next week in New York.
“Nigeria has been invited as one of the focal countries whose economy search light is beamed on,” he said.
He noted that Nigeria would host a high-level side event on Climate Change, to showcase its efforts in the Ogoni cleanup, which according to him, will come up after the president has signed the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
The Paris Agreement will enter into force 30 days after the date on which at least 55 countries, accounting for 55 per cent of the total global greenhouse gas emissions, have deposited their instruments of ratification or acceptance with the Secretary-General.
This global climate agreement will accelerate the growth of clean energy and help us achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and will strengthen international stability and security, save lives and improve human well-being, said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.