Turkey among 171 countries to sign Paris climate accord

NEW YORK

Turkey is ready to cooperate with other countries against climate change, Environment Minister Fatma Guldemet Sari said late Friday.

Signing the Paris climate agreement at the UN, Sari said the signing ceremony was “a historic day for the world” and outlined measures the country will take against environmental change.

“No country in the world is exempt from the negative consequences of climate change,” she said. “The global nature of the problem requires actions to be taken.”

Turkey was among 171 states to sign the agreement in New York following the COP21 conference in the French capital in December that saw states pledge to decrease their greenhouse gas emission levels.

Turkey has promised to reduce its emissions by 21 percent over the next 14 years.

Sari said the deal represented global determination to fight climate change. “We supported an agreement that was fair, flexible and inclusive,” she said.

She added: “The real challenge is to put the promises into action. The success of the agreement will depend on realizing the adequate financial and technology transfers. That's why advanced economies should fulfill their responsibilities during transition into a climate-proof world economy.

“Turkey signed the deal as a developing country and put forward its national contribution in this regard.”

The minister said Turkey was ready to establish the infrastructure for renewable and clean energy.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said the Paris accord would “shape the lives of all future generations in a profound way”. He added: “Today we are signing a new covenant for the future.”