Norway has become the first industrialised nation to formally ratify the Paris Agreement, after its ambassador Geir Pederson deposited its "instrument of ratification" to the UN's climate change Secretariat on Monday.

 

The move means Norway leapfrogs Hungary and France, which have both formally approved the treaty in their national legislatures but have not yet submitted their instruments of ratification to the Secretariat as their EU membership means they have to wait until the entire bloc is ready to formally ratify the deal.

 

Last week Norway's parliament voted in favour of ratifying the agreement, alongside approving a plan to make the country carbon-neutral by 2030, two decades ahead of schedule.

 

Although it is not a member state of the European Union, Norway's climate and environment minister Vidar Helgesen said the country is aiming for joint implementation with the EU to achieve its climate targets by 2030.

 

"It gives us solid, binding and predictable European regulations to work from when we will carry out our goal of 40 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions," he said in a statement.

 

Earlier this month the EU began the process for formal ratification as a single bloc, indicating it aims to complete the process as soon as possible.

 

Some 18 countries - representing 0.18 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, have now formally ratified the agreement, including Somalia, Palestine and smaller island states.

 

In order for the Paris Agreement to enter into effect, 55 countries representing at least 55 per cent of global emissions must ratify.

 

A number of larger countries, including the US, China and India, have signalled their desire to ratify the agreement before the end of the year in a bid to ensure the Treaty is officially adopted ahead of President Obama leaving office next January. (businessGreen)