Climate change breakthrough at the UN

London

AS WORLD leaders gather to address the high-level segment of the United Nations General Assembly this week, eyes are turning to Wednesday's mini-climate summit hosted by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. At the event, at least 20 countries are expected to formally ratify the Paris Agreement agreed last December, increasing prospects that the landmark global warming treaty will now come into effect in 2016.

For the accord to be triggered, 55 countries accounting for at least 55 per cent of global emissions must deposit their instruments of ratification with the UN. So far, 27 countries - including China and the United States, representing around 40 per cent of emissions - have done so.