European countries, Canada, Bolivia, and Nepal collectively provided support for the 2015 Paris Agreement, representing 56.87 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, slightly surpassing the required 55 percent threshold for implementation according to a United Nations website. The agreement is set to officially commence in 30 days on Nov 4, just four days prior to the US presidential election. Republican candidate Donald Trump is against the accord while Democrat Hillary Clinton strongly backs it. China and the United States recently united in a joint effort, marking a significant step by the world's biggest emitters. President Obama hailed Wednesday as a momentous day in the battle to safeguard the environment for future generations, stating that if the commitments outlined in the Paris agreement are upheld, history may view it as a pivotal moment for the planet. Additionally, European Union nations including Germany, France, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Portugal, and Malta, which have ratified the agreement domestically and account for about four percent of emissions, formally endorsed the agreement on Wednesday. According to the UN website, 73 out of 195 countries have ratified the agreement. European Climate Commissioner Miguel Arias Canete praised the progress, while European officials hurried to submit their documents to the United Nations before other nations could trigger the agreement's entry into force. An EU diplomat explained that they did not want to be overshadowed by other countries. The rapid approval of an agreement aimed at reducing global greenhouse gas emissions, particularly from the burning of fossil fuels, was widely praised as a way to mitigate floods, droughts, stronger storms, and rising sea levels. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon described the progress as something once thought impossible but now inevitable. However, many acknowledged that more efforts were necessary, with Thoriq Ibrahim, the Environment Minister for the Maldives and Chair of the Alliance of Small Island States, emphasizing the urgent need to act. In contrast, the previous UN climate deal, the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, took eight years to gain enough support to be implemented. The Paris climate deal was not signed by the United States, with only rich nations being required to reduce emissions. Opposition to President Obama's climate change policies persists in the Republican-controlled Congress. House Speaker Paul Ryan believes the agreement would harm the American economy, while Unilever CEO Paul Polman sees it as a necessary shift towards a low-carbon economy. However, current emission reduction pledges are not enough to meet the Paris goal of limiting global temperature increase to below two degrees Celsius. According to UN studies, average global temperatures are predicted to increase by 3 degrees or more by the year 2100 if current trends continue. Additionally, this year is anticipated to be the hottest on record since temperature recordings began in the 19th century, surpassing the previous record set in 2015.