French parliamentarians have adopted a bill authorising the government to ratify the landmark climate agreement reached by 195 countries in Paris in December.
France, which is chairing the COP21 climate talks until the end of the year, is the first European Union member state to move ahead with the ratification of the agreement.
Environment Minister Segolene Royal, who presented the bill in parliament on Tuesday, told journalists earlier that she expected other EU members to at least adopt the bill at ministerial level by end-June.
The bill, which was adopted by all parliamentarians except a member of the National Front party who abstained, is expected to be taken up by the Senate for another vote before it is ratified by the government.
Lead by France in December, 195 countries reached the agreement, which was then signed by 175 countries in New York in April.
