India, the world’s third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, will formally join the Paris agreement on climate change on October 2, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday. The ratification by India, which follows that of the United States and China, the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitters, will help accelerate the enactment of the landmark Paris agreement on climate change forged last December. During the Paris climate meet in December last, more than 190 nations had agreed on setting ambitious goals for capping global warming and funneling trillions of dollars to poor countries facing climate catastrophe. The pact will come into force after it is ratified by at least 55 countries that account for 55% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The issue of India ratifying the Paris deal had come up for discussion between Prime Minister Modi and US President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Vientiane, Laos earlier this month.

Source: Hindustan Times September 25, 2016 12:13 UTC