(Reuters) — Representatives from almost 200 nations will assemble in Marrakesh, Morocco on Monday for talks on implementing the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change.
They will gather just days after the agreement formally came in to force, on Friday, after winning support from major greenhouse gas emitters led by China and the United States.
The Paris Agreement seeks to wean the world economy off fossil fuels in the second half of the century and limit a rise in average world temperatures to “well below” 2.0 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) above preindustrial times.
On Thursday, however, the United Nations said greenhouse gas emissions in 2030 will exceed by 12 billion to 14 billion tonnes what is needed to keep global warming to the agreed target.
The agreement formally started 30 days after it passed a threshold of 55 nations accounting for more than 55 percent of greenhouse gases.
Shadowing the agreement, however, is the possible election of Republican Donald Trump, an opponent, as U.S. president.
In theory, it takes four years of legal formalities to withdraw after it enters into force.
But Trump, who has said he doubts humans have caused climate change, wants to extract the United States from the Paris deal. Democrat Hillary Clinton strongly supports the agreement.
The Marrakesh summit, under the title of Conference of Parties (COP 22), is due to meet from November 7-18.
