UN chief lauds India’s decision to ratify Paris agreement

UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Monday lauded India for its "swift action" to ratify the landmark Paris pact on climate change, saying he is looking forward to receiving the country's instrument of accession.

"The Secretary-General has made clear his hopes for the ratification of the Paris Agreement by a large number of states as early as possible, so he would be pleased by swift action by India. He looks forward to receiving India's instrument of accession," said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's deputy spokesman Farhan Haq.

PM Narendra Modi had on Sunday announced in Kerala that India would ratify the Paris climate deal made in the French capital last year on October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Earlier this month, the US and China, the world's two largest emitters, formally joined the Paris agreement, which was adopted by 195 parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change last December in Paris.

The agreement calls on countries to combat climate change and to accelerate and intensify the actions and investments needed for a sustainable low carbon future.

Specifically, it seeks to limit global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius, and to strive for 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The agreement will enter into force 30 days 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.