New London — Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, in addition to touring the new dive locker at the Naval Submarine Base and making other stops in southeastern Connecticut Thursday, visited the Opportunities Industrialization Center to announce committing to a multinational agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Malloy announced that as the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP 21, meets in Paris this week, he has committed the state to sign onto the “Under 2 MOU” agreement, a global compact among cities, states and provinces worldwide to limit the increase in global average temperature to below two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit).

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, that is the level needed to avoid the most dangerous climate effects.

“Connecticut has set an aggressive goal for reducing carbon emissions to combat climate change — and is determined to do so in a manner that improves our environment and air quality while increasing our energy security, building our economy, and creating jobs,” Malloy said in a news release. “Signing the Under 2 MOU aligns us with other jurisdictions who share our deep commitment to protecting the future of our planet and safeguarding the well-being of every one who lives here.”

The 57 governments from 19 nations that are signatories agree to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions 80 to 95 percent below 1990 levels or limit to two metric tons CO2-equivalent per capita, by 2050.

Connecticut’s own statutory climate reduction target requires emissions reductions of at least 80 percent economy-wide by 2050 from 2001 levels.

“We have a profound responsibility to confront climate change, and the Under 2 MOU is a real catalyst,” said California Gov. Edmund Brown Jr. “Connecticut joins a growing list of states and regions, who are prodding world leaders to take decisive action.”

Connecticut expects to achieve deep, economy-wide emissions reductions by 2050 through a comprehensive suite of policies and programs, consistent with the order of emission reductions required by the MOU, Malloy's office said.

These are levels determined necessary to avert the most catastrophic impacts of climate change, such as significant sea level rise that would inundate nations and coastlines around the world, create prolonged pervasive and extreme weather, cause mega droughts, and lead to food scarcity.

The announcement was greeted enthusiastically by the Connecticut Fund for the Environment.

“The governor’s decision to commit to this ambitious target is a good step for Connecticut’s future and our people’s health,” Leah Lopez Schmalz, program director for the organization, said in a news release. “We’re particularly pleased that the agreement includes setting interim measures for accountability, and stipulations for electric vehicles and public transit, innovative financing, coastal resiliency, and green infrastructure to prevent flooding and water pollution. We look forward to continuing to work closely with the Governor’s Council on Climate Change, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, our state legislators, and private sector partners to make sure Connecticut stays on track to achieve its greenhouse gas promises on time.”