1st LD Writethru: UN chief welcomes G20 presidency's support for signing Paris agreement

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday welcomed the statement from the Presidency of the G20, China, which affirms full support for the signing of the Paris Agreement on climate change.

The Presidency statement, which was released Thursday at G20 Sherpa Meeting in Guangzhou, China, has called for promoting the implementation of the Paris Agreement, including by signing the agreement as well as bringing it into force as soon as possible.

"The Secretary-General thanks China for its continued strong leadership in promoting global cooperation, grounded in ambitious national action, on climate change," said a statement released by Ban's spokesperson.

"The Secretary-General is encouraged by the strong political momentum from the more than 130 countries that have confirmed their intention to sign the Paris Agreement on April 22, and urges all other countries to join them in the Signing Ceremony at the United Nations," it added.

Adopted by the 196 Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Paris Agreement sets a target of curbing the global average rise in temperature below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and preferably below 1.5 degrees.

On the basis of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, developed countries agreed to raise 100 billion U.S. dollars a year by 2020 to help developing countries transform their economies. Enditem