France ratifies Paris Agreement on climate change

France’s senate ratified the Paris Agreement on climate change on Wednesday after a unanimous vote.

The ruling is subject to President Francois Hollande’s seal of approval, which is expected within two weeks, and France is set to become the first G7 and G20 member to approve the agreement.

France’s ruling will only be officially registered by the United Nations when the EU completes the formality of ratification for the 28-country bloc.

Campaigners have welcomed the news, calling on other countries to follow France’s lead.

Liz Gallagher, senior associate at E3G, said: “France is determined to stave off the worst impacts of global climate change, such as the extreme flooding it suffered last week… As the first industrialised nation to ratify the historic climate change agreement forged in Paris, France is cementing its legacy as an international climate leader.”

Ms Gallagher added: “Now it’s time for other big emitters to follow suit and give the Paris agreement the full force of international law.”

The historic Paris Agreement was reached in December by 195 UN member states at the COP21 climate summit.

The deal requires ratification from 55 countries accounting for 55 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions to come into effect.

So far, Hungary is the only other EU nation to give parliamentary approval of the deal with a range of countries indicating a preference to wait until Europe’s overall climate goal has been split into national targets.