United Nations, Jan 21 (IANS): UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has welcomed the announcement of the new US administration to re-enter the Paris Agreement on climate change.

"I warmly welcome President (Joe) Biden's steps to re-enter the Paris Agreement on climate change and join the growing coalition of governments, cities, states, businesses and people taking ambitious action to confront the climate crisis," said Guterres in a statement on Wednesday, Xinhua news agency reported.

Following last year's Climate Ambition Summit, countries producing half of global carbon pollution had committed to carbon neutrality. Wednesday's commitment by President Biden brings that figure to two-thirds, he noted.

But there is a very long way to go. The climate crisis continues to worsen and time is running out to limit temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius and build more climate-resilient societies that help to protect the most vulnerable, he said.

"We look forward to the leadership of the United States in accelerating global efforts towards net-zero (emissions), including by bringing forward a new nationally determined contribution with ambitious 2030 targets and climate finance in advance of COP26 in Glasgow later this year. I am committed to working closely with President Biden and other leaders to overcome the climate emergency, and recover better from COVID-19."

Hours after being sworn in as the 46th president of the United States, Biden on Wednesday signed an executive order returning the United States to the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change, reversing his predecessor Donald Trump's decision of withdrawal from the global pact.