CAIRO, Oct 31 (Aswat Masriya) – A number of civil society organisations called on Egypt to formally ratify the Paris agreement to curb-climate warming emissions, in a statement issued on Monday.

Egypt was among 197 countries that signed the Paris agreement on climate change at a ceremony held at the UN headquarters in April. 

The statement, which was signed by a number of groups including the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights and Egyptians Against Coal Campaign, urged Egypt to ratify the agreement ahead of the Marrakech Climate Change Conference set to kick off on Nov. 7.

The statement said that Egypt should approve the agreement and engage in the global climate movement, not only due to the shared responsibility of all countries towards the situation but also because it directly affects Egypt’s interests.

“Egypt is among the most countries vulnerable to climate change effects, as it’s expected to suffer water shortages, drought, poor crop productivity, increased desertification, rising sea levels and loss of tourism resources among others,” the statement read.

Egypt is one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change as it ranked 138 out of 183 in the 2016 Climate Change Vulnerability Index.

“It’s in Egypt’s interest to take advantage of the mechanisms of the convention in implementing plans that cope with expected effects of climate change,” the statement added.

Parties that ratify the agreement will commit to a long-term goal of keeping the increase in global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and will aim to limit the increase to 1.5°C.

According to rules, the pact won’t be put into legal effect until it is formally ratified by 55 nations that contribute a total of at least 55 per cent of global emissions; the 55-country requirement has already been fulfilled.