Landmark Paris climate agreement to take effect in November

The Paris climate accord, which requires participating countries to work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to keep global temperature rise to below 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, will go into effect on Nov. 4.

President Obama called the news a "turning point for our planet," and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the support is a "testament for the urgency of action." The agreement was adopted by consensus on Dec. 12, 2015, and needed countries representing 55 percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions to join before it could go into effect — that threshold was met Wednesday when the European Union and 10 countries deposited their instruments of ratification, a U.N. spokesperson said.

Rich and poor countries alike are worrying about rising sea levels and higher temperatures, and under the agreement, participating countries must present national plans to reduce emissions, report on their progress, and update their plans every five years.

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