Secretary of State Rex Tillerson signed an agreement to fight climate change this week during his trip to Alaska for the Arctic Council, a multinational group that includes Russia and Canada.
“The Arctic agreement Tillerson signed with foreign ministers from the other seven nations of the council, including Russia, Canada and Norway, made only a passing reference to the Paris pact,” reports Reuters. “It noted ‘entry into force’ of the pact and its implementation and called for global action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution.”
However, Tillerson also told the nations assembled that President Trump remains undecided about whether the U.S. will pull out of the Paris Agreement — signed by almost 200 countries promising to curb greenhouse gas emissions.
“We are appreciative that each of you has an important point of view,” said Tillerson about the Paris treaty. “We are going to make the right decision for the United States.”
Denmark’s Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen said that Tillerson signed the Arctic agreement after a long debate with his fellow council members over dinner. “He was happy about it; he seemed to be satisfied. We all were because it’s a big step,” Samuelsen said.
Tillerson, a former chief executive at Exxon Mobil, has urged President Trump to stay in the Paris agreement, according to Reuters. The White House has said it plans to announce a decision by the end of the month at the Group of Seven summit.