Vanuatu on Friday became the first nation to make a diplomatic push for a fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty, a proposed legal route to the world’s phase-out of coal, oil and gas, by likening its threat to nuclear weapons.

Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, President Nikenike Vurobaravu recalled the existential crisis being caused by rapid global warming, from hurricanes and coral bleaching to wildfires, prolonged droughts and floods.

“We call for the development of a fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty to phase out coal, oil and gas production in line with 1.5C and enable a global just transition for all workers, communities and nations living off fossil fuels dependent,” he said.

The Paris Climate Agreement called on nations to aim to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, a goal that is far off track.

Vanuatu, an archipelago of 300,000 people located 1,600 kilometers east of Australia, adds its voice to an appeal supported by more than 65 cities and regional governments around the world.

These include London, Lima, Los Angeles, Kolkata, Paris and Hawaii. The proposal was also supported by the Vatican and the World Health Organization.

Tiny Vanuatu submitted one of the world’s most comprehensive climate targets to the United Nations this month and led a campaign to get an opinion from the International Court of Justice on climate justice and human rights.

In a statement, the climate campaign group 350 compared the proposed treaty to agreements crucial to dealing with the threat of nuclear weapons and landmines.