On Wednesday, French President Francois Hollande ratified the Paris Agreement, an international climate pact signed in December of last year that aims to reduce the impact of global warming.

Among the Group of Seven advanced economies, which also include Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, and the United States, France is the first to sign the deal. The Paris Agreement becomes binding once 55 nations have signed it, if they represent 55 percent of global carbon emissions.

Hungary is the only other European country to have already ratified the accord, which aims to keep global temperatures from rising more than 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) compared to pre-industrial times.

The success of the Paris Agreement is dependent on major polluting nations sticking to its tenets. The Untied States, China and India have committed in principle to the agreement but have not yet ratified it.

Germany has also committed to ratifying the Paris Agreement. Although the country is seen as an international pioneer when it comes to implementing renewable energy over carbon-based sources, it has been criticized by environmental group for its use of brown coal.

mz/kl (AFP)