THE Paris Agreement on Climate Change has entered into force on Friday, 30 days after the required minimum of States (55) accounting for 55 per cent of total global greenhouse gas emissions have ratified the convention.The central aim of the Agreement is to keep global temperature rise during this century to well below two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and to try to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius. This commitment supports Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13 (Climate Action), and 12 others that include targets addressing climate change.

States will begin to tackle implementation of the Paris Agreement when COP 22 (the 22nd Session of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC)) convenes in Marrakech, Morocco during the period November 7th to 18th, 2016.

At this first meeting of the parties to the Agreement, areas of focus will include emissions’ reduction, resilience, finance, transparency, technology transfer, migration, capacity building, and loss and damages. The United Nations will support countries as they follow through on their promises towards a safer, greener and more sustainable future.

Guyana has been among the first countries to sign on to the pact; and President David Granger has, in a speech, noted that the Paris Agreement –- which he called the most ambitious international environmental agreement in modern history — presents a historic opportunity for the global community to respond to the challenge of climate change in an appropriate manner.

“Guyana has signed the ‘Agreement’ on account of its recognition of the need for resolute action to combat this challenge,” the President said. “We will ensure the deposit of the Instruments of Ratification this year. Guyana, through the pursuit of a Green Economy, will spare no effort to contribute to both a sustainable future and to an effective global response to climate change,” he declared.

He noted that Guyana is a net carbon sink: “Our forests sequester more carbon than the country’s human activities generate. Guyana, with the world’s second highest percentage of rainforest cover (85%), commands important carbon stocks. Guyana, nevertheless, is fully committed to contributing to limiting the rise in global temperature to below 1.5 degrees Celsius,” he explained.

He reminded that Guyana would implement initiatives in the forest and renewable-energy sectors, including through the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) Plus programme.

“We will move closer towards a 100% renewable power supply by 2025, conditional on appropriate support and adequate resources. Our proposed commitments through avoided emissions can contribute the equivalent of up to 48.7 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide to the global mitigation effort,” the President declared.