Rwanda Signs the Paris Agriment on Climate Change
Today, Rwanda joined with over 160 countries to sign the historic Paris Agreement on Climate Change at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. Rwanda was represented at the signing ceremony by the Minister
Rwanda Signs the Paris Agriment on Climate Change
Today, Rwanda joined with over 160 countries to sign the historic Paris Agreement on Climate Change at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. Rwanda was represented at the signing ceremony by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Louise Mushikiwabo.
The Paris Agreement represents the strong global commitment to promote environmental protection and mitigate the impacts of climate change. The agreement provides the framework for all nations to introduce and strengthen policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and respond to a warmer planet. It also includes a commitment by developed nations to support climate vulnerable countries through finance and technology at a level of $100 billion annually until 2025.
The agreement is the result of years of negotiations that began in Durban in 2011 and concluded at the U.N. Climate Talks held in Paris in December (COP21). The talks were held under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and concluded with the Paris Agreement, which was adopted by all parties to the UNFCCC - 196 nations.
“The Paris Agreement is a key platform for a global plan of action that will reduce carbon emissions and limit global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius, with the lofty goal of keeping temperature increases below 1.5 degrees. This stronger target is what the government called for at the Climate Talks in December 2015 because we know that anything less ambitious places Rwanda and other vulnerable nations at unacceptable risk of climate related disasters,” Minister Biruta said.
The agreement signed today will assist Rwanda as one of most vulnerable countries to climate change. It will increase the climate finance and technology available to support the country’s climate resilience initiatives, clean energy ambitions and sustainable growth through the development of a vibrant green economy.
Rwanda has a demonstrated track record of environmental protection, evidenced through the ban on plastic bags, conser