RIO DE JANEIRO — The Brazilian government on Monday ratified its participation in the Paris Agreement on climate change, a significant step by Latin America's largest emitter of greenhouse gases that could spur other countries to move forward. With a landmass a little bit larger than the continental United States, Brazil emits about 2.5 percent of the world's carbon dioxide and other polluting gases, according to United Nations data. "Everything we do today is not aimed at tomorrow, but rather at a future that preserves the living conditions of Brazilians." The Paris Agreement will enter into force once 55 countries representing at least 55 percent of global emissions have formally joined it. The Paris accord got a boost earlier this month when U.S. President Barack Obama and China's President Xi Jinping sealed their nations' participation.

Source: New York Times September 12, 2016 19:05 UTC