[22 April 2016, New Delhi/Colombo]: Climate Action Network South Asia (CANSA), a coalition of over 140 civil society organizations of south Asia, welcomed the ceremonial signing of the Paris Climate Agreement at the United Nations in New York today by more than 160 countries as a welcome first step confirming commitments made by these countries at the 21st Conference of Parties of UNFCCC in Paris in December.
CANSA Director Sanjay Vashist said: “World governments must urgently turn these commitments into action by ratifying and implementing the Paris Climate Agreement at a national level while ratcheting up their ambition towards climate action as the current commitments are not enough to avoid a world that is 3°C warmer. The first three months of 2016 are already recorded as warmest in hundred years and effects of which can be seen across the subcontinent reeling under unprecedented heat waves that has already claimed hundreds of lives.”
CANSA Policy & Advocacy Coordinator Ms. Vositha Wijenayake said: “Now more than ever developed countries have to ensure that adequate climate finance is in place to help millions of vulnerable people to respond to the worst impacts of climate change. The current Paris agreement is still unclear on how climate action will be implemented equitably and fairly. This should be the key priority for negotiators meeting at Bonn next month to pick up where the Paris climate meeting left off.”
For more information and interviews:
+94 777 597 387; Email – vositha@cansouthasia.net
