7 October 2016: Poland and Rwanda became the latest countries to ratify the Paris Agreement on climate change, bringing the total number of ratifications to 76. Rwanda ratified on 6 October 2016 and Poland ratified on 7 October.

Poland made a declaration, upon signing the Agreement on 22 April 2016 and again upon ratification, that it recognizes that under the Paris Agreement, developed country Parties shall provide financial resources to assist developing country Parties with both mitigation and adaptation obligations under the Convention. Poland reiterated in its declaration that it is a Party to the UNFCCC not included in Annex II, which requires Annex I Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) members (less Parties with economies in transition) to provide financial resources to enable developing countries to undertake emission reduction activities under the Convention.

The Paris Agreement, which has 191 signatories to date, was adopted in December 2015 and will enter into force on 4 November, the 30th day after the date on which at least 55 Parties to the UNFCCC, representing at least 55% of global emissions, deposited their instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession (5 October). Entry into force triggers the launch of the Paris Agreement’s governing body, the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA). CMA 1 will take place at the upcoming Marrakech Climate Change Conference in Morocco, from 7-18 November 2016. [Status of Ratification Website] [List of Ratifications, Acceptances and Approvals] [UNFCCC Press Release]