Quotable quotes from high-level signing ceremony for Paris climate agreement on April 22

"We are in a race against time." "Today you are signing a new covenant with the future. This covenant must amount to more than promises." "Today is a day for our children and grandchildren and all generations to come. Together, let us turn the aspirations of Paris into action." -- Ban Ki-moon, the secretary-general of the United Nations.

"We must raise the level of ambition even further. We must take urgent and bold steps to make this transformation happen." -- Mogens Lykketoft, the president of the UN General Assembly.

"Despite its low share in the global emission and population statistics, Montenegro has been fully devoted to contribute to implementation of the new global development framework. It is ready to provide a responsible and sustainable management of its development potentials with a minimum impact on the environment and climate and thus for sustainable development and climate change." -- Filip Vujanovic, the president of Montenegro.

"We aware that the Paris agreement will not be easy to implement. While everybody has to contribute, we respect that conditions and capacities in every country differ. Those who are the most vulnerable should be helped in their adaptation." -- Andrej Kiska, the president of the Slovak Republic.

"The Paris agreement we are signing today is ambitious, universal and verifiable. It required all sides to compromise and unite for a common cause. More importantly, it's a win for the planet, win for the people and win for the economies. -- Dalia Grybauskaite, the president of Lithuania.

"The Paris Agreement is the most ambitious international environmental agreement in modern history. The Agreement presents a historic opportunity for the global community to respond to the challenge of climate change in an appropriate manner." -- David Granger, the president of Guyana.

Source: XINHUA