On Friday, April 22, Secretary of State John Kerry will join a record number of global leaders at a historic high-level signing ceremony for the Paris Agreement at the United Nations headquarters in New York. This ceremony, convened by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, is the first step in implementing the Paris Agreement adopted in Paris, France on December 12, 2015, during the 2015 UN Climate Change Conference (COP21).
After signing the Paris Agreement, countries must take the necessary domestic steps to join the Agreement. President Obama already announced the United States’ intent to join the Agreement this year – a step that will not require U.S. Congressional action. The Paris Agreement will enter into force 30 days after at least 55 nations representing at least 55 percent of global emissions formally join the agreement.
As part of the ceremony, Secretary of State John Kerry will deliver remarks on the morning of April 22 at the United Nations. His remarks will be streamed live on www.state.gov.
