Backgrounder: World leaders, senior officials positively comment on Paris climate deal

World leaders and senior officials have made positive comments to applaud the global pact to fight climate change adopted by nearly 200 nations at the 21st U.N. Climate Change Conference (COP21) closed in Paris on Saturday.

The following are major comments on the pact from some world leaders and senior officials:

"History will remember this day."

"The Paris Agreement on climate change is a monumental triumph for people and planet."

"Now we must stay united... and bring the same spirit to the crucial test of implementation,"

---- U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

"The Paris Climate Conference is a crucial point in the global climate governance process. The outcome has a real bearing on human beings' undertakings in climate change and our future of sustainable development."

"China will take international obligations commensurate with its own national condition, development stage and actual capacity."

---- China's Special Representative on Climate Change Xie Zhenhua

"(The climate agreement offers) the best chance to save the one planet we have." ---- U.S. President Barack Obama

"In Paris, we've seen a few revolutions over the last few centuries. But today, this is (a) more beautiful and peaceful revolution that has just been achieved. A revolution for climate change."

---- French President Francois Hollande

"(The climate agreement marks) the first time that the entire world community has obligated itself to act -- to act in the battle against global climate change... (It is a) sign of hope that we will manage to secure the life conditions of billions of people for the future."

---- German Chancellor Angela Merkel

"I want to confirm Russia's commitment to the reached agreement, our determination to continue strengthening our actions to reduce the anthropogenic pressure on the environment in accordance with the principles of the Paris Agreement and in the interests of present and future generations of our planet."

---- Russia's special envoy for climate affairs Alexander Bedritsky

"(The agreement) makes us all proud as Europeans."

---- EU Climate Action Commissioner Miguel Arias Canete

"(The pact is) the best we can get at this historic moment... (It) can map a turning point to a better and safer world."

---- South African environment minister Edna Molewa

"Today the human race has joined in a common cause, but it's what happens after this conference that really matters."

"The Paris Agreement is only one step on a long road, and there are parts of it that frustrate and disappoint me, but it is progress."

---- Greenpeace's director Kumi Naidoo

"We now need to cherish this moment." ---- Venezuelan climate envoy Claudia Salerno

"I hadn't seen a buildup like today, electricity in the air."

"(The Paris agreement would allow) proper transfers of clean technology to Afghanistan. We have to, also as a least-developed country, play our role to help ourselves."

---- Head of the Afghan delegation Mostapha Zaher

Endi