Obama hails 'historic day' in fight against climate change

US President Barack Obama also noted that the Paris Agreement alone will not solve the climate crisis

US President Barack Obama on Wednesday hailed the UN announcement that the Paris Agreement will enter into force in 30 days, calling it a "historic day" in the fight against climate change.

"If we follow through on the commitments that this Paris Agreement embodies, history may well judge it as a turning point for our planet," Obama said in remarks at the White House.

Obama noted that the Paris Agreement alone will not solve the climate crisis.

"Even if we meet every target embodied in the agreement, we'll only get to part of where we need to go," he said. "But make no mistake, this agreement will help delay or avoid some of the worst consequences of climate change."

Obama said the agreement will help other nations ratchet down their carbon emissions over time and also "opens up the floodgates for businesses and scientists and engineers to unleash high-tech, low-carbon investment and innovation at a scale that we've never seen before".

"So this gives us the best possible shot to save the one planet we've got," he said.

Early on Wednesday, the United Nations announced the Paris Agreement is expected to enter into force in 30 days after it crossed "the second and final threshold" needed for it to take effect.

According to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, 72 countries including China and the United States have formally ratified the landmark climate deal.