EU lawmakers approves ratification of Paris Agreement by EU

The European Parliament on Tuesday approved the ratification of the Paris Agreement by the European Union (EU), paving the way for the deal to come into force globally.

The parliament gave its consent to the EU's ratification of the Agreement by 610 votes to 38, with 31 abstentions.

"Our vote paves the way to ensure that the agreement meets the necessary threshold,"said European Parliament President Martin Schulz.

The entry into force of the Paris agreement less than one year after its signature is a massive achievement, given that it took eight years for the Kyoto protocol, he added.

Ratifications representing at least 55 parties and 55 percent of global emissions are needed for the agreement to enter into force. To date, 62 parties, accounting for 51.89 percent of global emissions.

That means the first condition is already met. Tuesday's vote allows the second to be met too as the EU accounts for some 12 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, thus triggering the entry into force.

With the approval by the European Parliament, the Council can formally adopt the decision via a written procedure. That means the EU, together with the seven member states that have completed the ratification process, can hand over the ratification to the United Nations headquarters by Friday.

In parallel, the other EU member states will ratify the Paris Agreement individually, in accordance with their national parliamentary processes. Endit