Washington (October 4, 2016) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), member of the Environment and Public Works Committee and Chair of the Senate Climate Clearinghouse, released the following statement on the recent actions by India and the European Union (EU) to join the Paris Agreement, helping to meet the threshold of at least 55 countries and 55 percent of global emissions needed to bring the agreement into force. With India and the seven EU countries that have completed the necessary domestic action, there are now 68 countries prepared to join the agreement, accounting for approximately 57 percent of global emissions.

“The Paris climate agreement is proof that global cooperation trumps isolation. With the recent action by India and the EU, the Paris climate agreement is now set to come into effect in record time. The Paris agreement recognizes that global warming needs a global solution that requires all countries to do their fair share. China, the United States, the EU and India emit the most carbon pollution each year, but they must also be the world leaders of a clean energy revolution. The world now adds more renewable energy capacity each year than fossil fuels. With atmospheric carbon dioxide now breaking the 400 ppm mark, we need to accelerate our efforts to reduce carbon pollution and shift our energy economy to clean energy to avoid the most catastrophic impacts of climate change.”

###