The Republic of the Marshall Islands has become the first country to ratify a global agreement to slash the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).

The parliament approved the Kigali Amendment, which paves the way for the production and use of toxic HFCs – used in refrigerants and air conditioning – to be reduced by more than 80% in the next 30 years.

That is expected to help avoid up to 80 billion metric tons of Carbon Dioxide equivalent emissions by 2050 and will be a big boost to the Paris climate deal.

HFCs are said to be thousands of times more damaging than Carbon Dioxide.

President Hilda Heine said: “My country will not survive without urgent action to cut emissions by every country and every sector of our economies, including HFCs. Our rapid ratification of the Kigali Amendment is yet another demonstration of our commitment to the Paris Agreement.

“We now need others to quickly do the same in order to help keep global temperature increases within 1.5°C. This deal is good for our people, the planet and the profits of those that follow in our footsteps.”