The European Parliament gave its approval to the final agreement reached at last year's climate change conference in Paris - the first-ever universal and legally binding global climate deal. The EU’s ratification of the Paris Agreement enabled it to enter into force, by fulfilling the second criterion of covering at least 55% of global emissions.

On 30 September 2016, the European Ministers for Environment agreed to speed up the process of ratification of the Paris Agreement. This agreement sets the framework for global action on climate change.

The first-ever universal and legally binding global climate deal was agreed by 195 countries in Paris last December at the COP21 conference.Parliament wants the EU to ratify the Paris climate agreement as soon as possible to ensure it can rapidly enter into force. 

The Brazilian government has ratified its participation in the Paris agreement on climate change, a significant step by Latin America’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases that could spur other countries to follow suit.