The UNFCCC Secretariat has released a statement titled 'The Paris Agreement: Next Steps' outlining a number of actions to take place following the adoption of the Paris Agreement by the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 21).
28 January 2016: The UNFCCC Secretariat has released a statement, titled ‘The Paris Agreement: Next Steps,’ which outlines actions to take place following the adoption of the Paris Agreement by the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 21).
According to the statement, the text adopted by COP 21 is included in the annex to decision 1/CP.21, and decision 1/CP.21 is contained in an addendum to the report of COP 21. The English version of the report, including addenda, was published in January 2016, and, by the end of February 2016, the report will be made available in all six official UN languages.
The statement notes that the UN Secretary-General shall be the Depositary of the Agreement, and that the authentic text of the Paris Agreement in all six UN languages will be transmitted by the UNFCCC Executive Secretary to the Treaty Section of the UN Office of Legal Affairs in New York. The statement outlines steps to be taken in preparation by the Depositary of the original of the Agreement for signature and the distribution of certified true copies. It notes that the Paris Agreement will be open for signature at the UN Headquarters in New York from 22 April 2016 to 21 April 2017, and a high-level signature ceremony will be held on 22 April 2016.
The statement also provides details on ways to become party to the Paris Agreement and on the submission of parties’ first nationally determined contributions (NDCs). Finally, it explains that the Paris Agreement shall enter into force on the 30th day after the date on which at least 55 parties accounting for at least 55% of the total global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have ratified it. In order to determine entry into force of the Paris Agreement, the UNFCCC Secretariat will make available information on the most up-to-date total and per cent of GHG emissions communicated by parties in their national communications (NCs), GHG inventory reports, biennial reports (BRs) or biennial update reports (BURs). [UNFCCC Statement Paris Agreement: Next Steps] [UNFCCC Press Release] [COP 21 Report] [COP 21 Report Addendum] [Information on the Total and Percent of GHG Emissions Communicated by Parties to the Convention]