189 nations submit INDCs to UNFCCC on climate action

"What was once consider unthinkable, now has become unstoppable. We must stay united," said UN Secretary General.

The United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, said on Saturday night at the CoP21 Plenary, that 189 parties had submitted their nationally determined contributions on climate actions, rising from 186 so far. Eight more were expected. The current level of ambition in the contributions by all countries was only the floor, not the ceiling, he said.

Every five years beginning 2018, the countries in the Paris Agreement would review what is needed by science to stop dangerous climate change. "What was once consider unthinkable, now has become unstoppable. We must stay united," the UN Secretary General said.

The Paris Agreement would be open for signature at the UN headquarters in New York from 22 April, 2016, and would enter into force on the thirtieth day after at least 55 parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change accounting totally for an estimated 55 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions deposit their instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession.

Palestine joins UN Convention

Palestine congratulated France and called the Agreement historic. It aligned itself with the G77 and China.

On behalf of President Mahmoud Abbas the delegation announced that it was submitting to the UN Secretary General its instrument of accession to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

It becomes the 196th state party, and the 197th party to the Convention. "The Palestinian people cannot be left behind. People under occupation cannot be left behind. We will act as a very responsible state," the delegation said.