President Kiska inks Paris Climate Agreement

Slovak President, Andrej Kiska, concluded the national process of the ratification of the Paris Agreement on climate change.

President Andrej Kiska, illustrative stock photoPresident Andrej Kiska, illustrative stock photo (Source: Sme)

The document, signed on September 28 means that Slovakia has committed itself to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Parliament approved the ratification on September 21.

Among the main goals of the agreement is to keep the increase in the average global temperature well below 2 degrees Celsius, higher than pre-industrial levels, which will significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change, according to scientists.

SkryťTurn off ads
Article continues after video advertisement
SkryťTurn off ads
Article continues after video advertisement

The document will become fully valid only if it is ratified by 55 countries that together produce at least 55 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, according to a list drawn up in 2015. Along with the USA and China (which both declined to sign the Kyoto Protocol, a UN forerunner), the Paris Agreement has already been ratified by 27 countries that produce 39 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Another 32 countries producing over 20 percent of emissions in total want to do so this year.

SkryťTurn off ads

The agreement was adopted at the Paris climate conference in December 2015, with 195 countries agreeing to the first-ever universal, legally binding global climate deal.

On September 27, the Slovak President also inked other ratification documents, in particular, the Third Protocol to the General Agreement on Privileges and Immunities of the Council of Europe and the Agreement on enhanced partnership and cooperation between the European Union and its member states and the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Read also: Slovakia will officially fight climate change Read more 

 

Top stories

Slovakia marks 20 years since joining NATO.

Slovakia marks 20 years in the Alliance.


Daniel Hoťka and 1 more
Píšem or pišám?

"Do ľava," (to the left) I yelled, "Nie, do prava" (no, to the right), I gasped. "Dolšie," I screamed. "Nie, nie, horšie..." My Slovak girlfriend collapsed in laughter. Was it something I said?


Matthew J. Reynolds
Czech biochemist Jan Konvalinka.

Jan Konvalinka was expecting a pandemic before Covid-19 came along.


SkryťClose ad