The landmark Paris climate change pact is poised to enter into force around the world after European Union lawmakers endorsed the agreement.

In the presence of U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, the lawmakers voted by 610 to 38 with 31 abstentions for the 28 EU nations to simultaneously ratify the agreement to limit global warming.

The deal cannot take effect until 55 countries, accounting for at least 55 percent of global emissions, have adopted it. Sixty-two have done so but they only accounted for about 52 percent of emissions.

The EU's fast-track ratification takes the Paris Agreement past the 55 percent threshold. The handover to the U.N. of a legal document formally doing that is expected to happen by Friday.