Nicaragua Joins Paris Agreement, Leaving Only U.S. and Syria Behind

Climate

Wind turbines in Nicaragua. Damon / mitchellmobius.wordpress.com

Nicaragua will officially join the Paris agreement and has presented the necessary paperwork to the UN, Vice President and first lady Rosario Murillo said on local radio Monday.

Murillo called the accord “the only instrument we have in the world that allows the unity of intentions and efforts to face up to climate change and natural disasters.” Nicaragua was the only country to outright reject the agreement in 2015, arguing in favor of more drastic action to mitigate climate impacts.


The move means that the U.S., which announced it would pull out of the agreement in June, heads into the COP23 talks in Bonn next month alone with Syria as the only two countries in the world not participating in the global accord.

“Scientists from more developed countries, scientists working at NASA, European scientists, everyone agrees that we must stop the process that is leading to the destruction of the planet,” said Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega.

As reported by the BBC:

“Nicaragua has no oil and vigorously pursues green energy policies—more than 50% of its electricity is produced by geothermic, wind, solar, biomass and wave power. It is a country that is believed to be especially at risk from climate change.

The World Bank described the central American country as “a renewable energy paradise” in 2013.”

For a deeper dive:

Reuters, BBC, The Hill

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