Getting to 55%

Two days ago, on Oct 2^nd, India ratified the Paris Climate deal.  By signing on, India has brought  the agreement close to being truly legally binding.

In order to put the Paris Climate Deal into legal effect, 55 nations - covering at least 55 percent of global emissions - need to formally ratify the treaty. 

India represents the 62^nd nation to sign on and all signers collectively represent 51.89 percent of global emissions, according to the United Nations’ Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The ratification came on the birthday of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, the Indian independence leader better known as Mahatma Gandhi.

The Paris deal aims to limit average temperature rises to 2 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels. The agreement also calls for countries to do their best to try to limit that rise to 1.5 degrees.  Major emitters such as the United States, China and Brazil have led the way in joining the agreement, as have dozens of smaller countries. 

Today President Obama is in the San Francisco area and will visit the Solyndra solar panel production factory in Fremont, California. Obama will discuss jobs and the economy while at Solyndra. In recent days he has said that the United States needs to boost its support of renewable energy sources, so that China doesn’t own the alternative energy market.