THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

REMARKS AT PRESS STAKEOUT ON ENTRY-INTO-FORCE OF PARIS AGREEMENT ON CLIMATE CHANGE

New York, 4 November 2016
[As delivered]

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.

It is a great pleasure to see you. Thank you for your time today.

Today we make history in humankind’s efforts to combat climate change.

The landmark Paris Agreement on climate change has entered into force. At a time of record heat, Member States embraced this new global agreement in record time.

This is a momentous day for all of us. I chose to mark it by meeting with representatives of civil society. I invited them here to thank them for their outstanding contributions and to ask how they are putting the Paris Agreement into action. I look forward to hearing their concerns, their ideas and their plans.

Over the past decade, we forged a great global coalition for climate action. Government officials, scientists, faith leaders, business executives and civil society activists around the world recognized that the future of people and planet was at stake.

They made today possible.

With each new ratification, the reach of the Paris Agreement is growing. Just this week, Gabon, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sao Tome and Principe, South Africa and Viet Nam joined, which makes almost 100 countries, accounting for 70% of greenhouse gas emissions, accounted together.

On Monday, the Conference of the Parties, COP 22, will begin in Marrakech, Morocco. Our challenge is to sustain the momentum that has propelled the Agreement into force.

We remain in a race against time. But with the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the world has the plans we need to make the shift to a low-emission, climate-resilient path. Now is the time to strengthen global resolve, do what science demands and seize the opportunity to build a safer, more sustainable world for all.

We are the first generation to really feel the effects of climate change – and the last that can prevent its worst consequences.

Today shows us what is possible when we join forces for our common future.

Thank you very much for your commitment.