Posted on November, 04 2016

GLAND, Switzerland (4 November 2016) – Less than a year ago, 197 countries came together to deliver a universal climate agreement and, with it, a promise to work together to limit global temperature rise to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.
 
Today, that agreement becomes the “law of the planet,” says Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, leader of WWF International’s Climate & Energy Practice. “It is a historic achievement that deserves to be celebrated. The atmosphere around the Paris Agreement’s entry-into-force is one of hope, trust and confidence in each other. A spirit of collaboration helped foster the partnerships between State and non-State actors, bridge north-south relations and enhanced south-south cooperation that that I am convinced helped ensure a deal in Paris was possible.”
 
By transcending old lines of conflict with science and equity in mind, the Paris Agreement has established a new way of working together, he says. “It has created a unique framework for partnership among governments, businesses, civil society, faith groups and communities to collaborate and rally behind this crucial common cause for the planet. Collectively these have kept the momentum to change climate change going.”
 
Now, we need to turn the promise of Paris into equally momentous action, says Pulgar-Vidal. “With the next round of UN talks on climate change in the spotlight in Marrakech, we must continue this momentum by pushing for concrete, scaled up actions so we can give the earth the maximum opportunity to slow climate change.”
 
Read the blog by Manuel Pulgar-Vidal on the Paris Agreement's entry into force.

For further information, contact:
Mandy Jean Woods mwoods@wwf.org.za / +27 72 393 0027