Bangladesh signs Paris climate agreement

Bangladesh has signed the historic Paris climate agreement on the opening day of the signatures at the UN headquarters in New York.

Minister for Environment and Forests Anwar Hossain signed on behalf of the Prime Minister on Friday, said an official statement.

The UN said 175 states took the first step of signing the deal on Friday, the biggest day for endorsement of a global agreement.  Of those, 15 states also formally notified the United Nations that they had ratified the deal.

Many countries still need a parliamentary vote to formally approve the agreement, which was reached in Dec last year.

The deal will enter into force only when ratified by at least 55 nations representing 55 percent of manmade greenhouse gas emissions.

The historic agreement, reached in Paris after years of negotiations, provides a pathway for countries to reduce emissions so that the global temperature rise is kept below 2 degrees Celsius.

Bangladesh, in its statement, highlighted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s personal commitment to combating climate change.

“Collective wisdom and commitment are essential to implement the Paris Climate Agreement... We all must consider the urgency of acting now,” read the statement.

Bangladesh also urged all countries to be united in this collective journey, keeping in mind that “one’s non-compliance may threaten the existence of all”.

“However, developed countries have to take lead in this case”.