At the United Nations, high-ranking leaders from more than 170 countries are signing the sweeping climate agreement that was reached at last COP21 climate meetings. World leaders from 175 countries signed the historic Paris climate accord Friday, using Earth Day as a backdrop for the ceremonial inking of a long-fought deal that aims to slow the rise of harmful greenhouse gases.
“We are in a race against time.” U.N. secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the gathering at the United Nations headquarters in New York. “The era of consumption without consequences is over.”
“The poor and most vulnerable must not suffer further from a problem they did not create,” Ban added.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry signed the document while holding his young granddaughter. She was one of 197 children at the event to represent the parties that adopted the agreement, Ban said.
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