Ban Ki-moon hails Indo-US commitment to joining Paris accord

Till date, 177 Parties have signed, and 17 have ratified the Paris Agreement

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has hailed the efforts made by India and the US to join the Paris Climate agreement, an official statement said.

"The Secretary-General welcomes the domestic steps being undertaken by both countries to join the Paris Agreement as soon as possible, including in 2016, and their collaborative efforts to address climate change," the press statement, released on Tuesday, said.

According to the statement, the Secretary General further lauded the resolve made by the two countries to pursue low greenhouse gas emission development strategies and successful outcomes this year to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the Montreal Protocol, the International Civil Aviation Organisation Assembly, and the G20.

The joint announcement by India and the US, which follows the G7 Ise-Shima Leaders' Declaration, and the historic April 22 signature ceremony for the Paris Agreement demonstrates the growing momentum towards the rapid entry into force and successful implementation of the Paris Agreement.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a three-day visit to the US. During his meeting with President Barack Obama, climate change was one of the major topics of discussion.

India has agreed to join the Paris Cop 21 agreement "as soon as possible", sources said.

As of Tuesday, 177 Parties have signed, and 17 have ratified the Paris Agreement, the statement added.