Slovak parliament approves ratification of Paris climate agreement

Slovakia has committed itself to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, with its parliament approving the ratification of the Paris climate agreement with 106 votes on Wednesday.

"The Paris agreement is the most important international climate agreement aimed at slowing down global warming," said Slovak Environment Minister Laszlo Solymos following the parliament approval.

"Investments are being made in technologies in order to reduce greenhouse gas production. Money is also going towards heat insulation," he said, adding that the Paris agreement would also have an impact on agricultural and transport sectors.

The national ratification process will be completed with Slovak President Andrej Kiska's signature.

Among the main goals of the agreement are to keep the increase in the average global temperature well below 2 degrees Celsius higher than pre-industrial levels. This would significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change.

The document will become fully valid only if it's ratified by 55 countries that together account for at least 55 percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, according to a list drawn up in 2015.

Along with the United States and China, the agreement has been ratified by 27 countries that produce 39 percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions.

Among EU countries, the document has been ratified by Hungary, France and Austria so far. The agreement was adopted at the Paris climate conference in December 2015, with 195 countries agreeing to the first-ever universal, legally-binding global climate deal. Endit