St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Wednesday submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change its instrument of ratification for the Paris climate change agreement.
The entry into force of the Paris Agreement is a three-step process requiring parties to adopt, then sign, and then ratify the accord. Nearly 200 nations in December adopted the deal at the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC in Paris. More than 175 countries went on to sign the agreement in April in New York, and now nations have begun the process of ratification. The agreement will take effect 30 days after 55 nations representing at least 55 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions deposit their instruments of ratification.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines is the 19th nation to ratify the agreement. However, accounting for less than .01 percent of worldwide emissions, the nation’s inclusion does not move the needle on the cumulative tally of emissions, which remains at .18 percent.
The agreement is expected to enter into force in late 2016 or 2017.