Ban Ki-moon hopes India, other nations will ratify climate deal

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has expressed hope that India and other nations will soon ratify the Paris Climate Change agreement and achieve progress in ensuring the deal enters into force by the end of the year.

"I think there have been contacts between the Secretary- General and the Prime Minister (of India) and at other levels," Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters here yesterday.

"I think it's no secret that the Secretary-General very much hopes that, at the climate event that will be coming up next week, more countries will be bringing their instruments of ratification or other terms they may want to use or pledging that they will do...they will conclude the process by the end of the year," he said.

Dujarric was asked whether the UN Chief is in close contact with the Indian leadership to prod the country, one of largest emitters of greenhouse gases, to sign or ratify the agreement.

"I think we will let the Indian...I won t speak for the Indian Government, but we very much hope to see progress on it before the end of the year," he said when asked if Ban had received a commitment from India that it will ratify the agreement soon.

Ban will hold a special event on September 21 on the sidelines of the General Debate at the 71st UN General Assembly session, inviting world leaders to deposit their instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession to the Paris Agreement on climate change.

The event will also provide an opportunity to other countries to publicly commit to joining or ratifying the agreement before the end of 2016.

Dujarric said the UN fully understands that there are different constitutional processes in different countries.

"Some take more time. Some take less time. We know that the EU is in a particular spot where all of them have to agree before any can any of them can bring their instruments over.

But the Secretary-General is continuing his lobbying effort...to all concerned Member States," he said.

The US and China, the world largest emitters of greenhouse gases, formally joined the Paris climate accord earlier this, submitting their signed documents to Ban Ki-Moon in Hangzhou, China.

So far, 26 countries have ratified the agreement, which will enter into force a month after at least 55 countries, accounting for 55 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, deposit their instruments of ratification or acceptance with the Secretary-General.

The 71st session is also expected to help efforts to secure entry into force of the Paris Climate Change agreement by year end, before Ban s tenure as Secretary General ends.