On April 22, leaders from 175 countries gathered at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York City to sign the international Paris Agreement that aims to reduce worldwide levels of greenhouse gas emissions. Most countries with glaciers are committed to face climate change. However, Chile and Kyrgyzstan did not attend the ceremony, according to a new report from Glacier Hub Organization. 

Raises in average Earth temperatures have already affected countries with these formations of dense ice. On Earth Day,  the U.S., China, India, Pakistan, Russia Italy and France, signed the agreement. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that the spirit of multiple countries working together against global warming is strong.

Chile and Kyrgyzstan did not attend the ceremony to sign the international Paris Agreement that took place at the United Nations (UN) headquarters on April 22. Photo credit: Francois Mori / AP / Huffington Post
Chile and Kyrgyzstan did not attend the ceremony to sign the international Paris Agreement that took place at the United Nations (UN) headquarters on April 22. Photo credit: Francois Mori / AP / Huffington Post

Other small countries also reaffirmed their commitment to avoid ice melting by signing, such as Iceland, Norway, Austria, Switzerland, Nepal, Bhutan, Peru, Tajikistan and New Zealand. According to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), new measures can take place within the next 30 days.

“The world will have met the requirement needed for the Agreement to enter into force if all 175 Parties that have signed today take the next step at the national level and join the Agreement. I am very pleased to see so much support and political momentum to move the Agreement forward,” said the Secretary-General.

Chile and Kyrgyzstan have not signed the Paris Agreement yet

The South American country has a population of 17.62 million inhabitants. Leaders there, remained home to pay tribute to Patricio Aylwin, who passed away on April 19 at 97 years old. The latter, was  crucial for the return of democracy to Chile after it underwent 17 years of military rule by the hands of Augusto Pinochet.

Chile has still chance to sign the agreement since the UN will maintain the signing process open for a year. The other country with glaciers that did not attend the ceremony was Kyrgyzstan, a landlocked country located in central Asia, which has a population of 5.72 million inhabitants.

The country had a considerable delegation at the Sustainable Innovation Forum that took place in Paris last year. However, reasons to skip the Paris Agreement may reside in national events and political decisions since a new prime minister assumed office on April 13, said Glacier Hub in a report.

According to people familiarized with the matter, ministers have not yet started discussing measures they should take to face climate change.

“They will sign, but later”, said a contact to Glacier Hub.

The agreement “can enter into force” a month after 55 countries that account for 55 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions “deposit their instruments of ratification”, said the UNFCCC in a press release issued on Earth Day.

Source: Glacier Hub Org