The Paris Agreement on climate change is set to enter into force next month, officials have confirmed, after receiving a series of key ratifications this week. The landmark climate deal has now surpassed the two thresholds needed for its activation, allowing it to enter into force on 4 November. Governments agreed last year that the deal would be activated 30 days after 55 parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) representing 55 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions deposit instruments of ratification. The European Parliament approved the deal on Tuesday, which followed a vote by the bloc’s environment ministers on Friday agreeing to go ahead with ratification of the climate deal at the EU level. EU member states will also be required to ratify the deal, given that certain elements require implementation at the national level. Seven member states – Austria, Germany, France, Hungary, Portugal, Malta, and Slovakia – have already completed these domestic processes, which helped bring the Paris accord over the emissions threshold. (See Bridges Weekly, 29 September 2016 ) “I encourage you to build on your proud legacy, and to support the speedy ratification of the Paris Agreement,” UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said...