China ratifies Paris agreement ahead of G20
In this Sept. 1, 2016 photo, a child reaches up to a bronze buddha statue in Hangzhou in eastern China’s Zhejiang province. China’s hosting of the Group of 20 industrialized nations summit highlights its role as the world’s second largest economy and a growing force in global diplomacy, but also comes amid sharpening frictions over its territorial claims in the South China Sea, disputes with fellow regional powers South Korea and Japan and criticisms over a sweeping crackdown on dissent at home. China hopes to avoid discussion of such issues while using the summit in the eastern city of Hangzhou to burnish its image as a responsible major nation whose support is essential to solving the world’s ills. AP
HANGZHOU, China — China has entered the emissions-cutting agreement reached last year in Paris in advance of the Group of 20 summit this weekend.
The state-run Xinhua News Agency reported Saturday that China’s legislature voted Saturday to ratify the agreement.
Environmental groups expected China and the United States to announce they would adopt the Paris agreement, which calls on countries to set their own targets for reducing carbon dioxide emissions and update those targets every five years.
The agreement takes force when accepted by at least 55 nations that produce 55 percent of global man-made emissions.
China and the US together produce 38 percent.
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