USA and Syria become only two countries not in Paris Agreement after Nicaragua signs deal

Nicaragua has reportedly signed the Paris climate change agreement, leaving Syria and the US as the only two nations yet to add their names to the pact after Donald Trump's decision to withdraw.

The government said the 2015 deal - which aims to reduce greenhouse gases to try and prevent a global temperature rise of more than two degrees - represented “the only international instrument that offers the conditions to face global warming and its effects,” according to a statement read out by Vice President Rosario Murillo.

Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega had signalled last week that his country would sign the deal soon, but did not say when. Nicaragua's government had initially refused to sign on to the accord, saying that the deal did not require enough sacrifices by wealthy nations and did not go far enough in its goals.