(EFE).- The United Nations said Wednesday that the Paris Accord on climate change will take effect Nov. 4, as a sufficient number of countries have ratified the agreement.

“I am delighted to announce that today the Paris Agreement will cross the second and final threshold needed for entry into force, and will enter into force on 4 November 2016,” said U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a statement.

The announcement was made after the European Union agreed to ratify the accord.

For the climate change agreement to enter into force, it required the ratification of at least 55 countries representing 55 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Once that threshold could be reached, the agreement – finalized last December in the French capital by 191 nations after years of negotiations – calls for it to enter into force after a period of 30 days.

Last weekend, India announced that it had ratified the Paris Accord and on Tuesday New Zealand did the same, along with the EU Council, although the appropriate documents have yet to be formally delivered.

The EU mission to the international body said that the ratification instruments were delivered on Wednesday to U.N. headquarters and shortly thereafter Ban announced the date on which the treaty will enter into force.

“Global momentum for the Paris Agreement to enter into force in 2016 has been remarkable. What once seemed unthinkable is now unstoppable,” said Ban.

The U.N. chief also emphasized that international support for the agreement’s entry into force “is testament to the urgency for action” to fight against climate change.

It “reflects the consensus of governments that robust global cooperation is essential to meet the climate challenge,” he added.

“Over the past decade, I have worked ceaselessly to bring countries together to accelerate the global response to climate change,” Ban said. EFE