Trump's advisers and cabinet heads were divided over whether Trump should keep his campaign promise to pull the United States out of the agreement - or stay and try to reshape it, Reuters reported.
But after his November win he changed course, saying he had an "open mind" about the 2015 pact signed by 196 nations, including the Obama administration. Meetings to discuss the plan between aides are announced publicly as a final decision approaches.
The delay means that the Trump administration will have to navigate three critical worldwide meetings this month alone without formulating its position on climate policy: The current meeting in Bonn, Germany, which is focused on implementing the Paris agreement, the Arctic Council meeting in Fairbanks later this week, where the changes in the ice cover will also be on the agenda, and the G-7 gathering. The two leaders agreed to meet as soon as possible, according to the Chinese foreign ministry.
Other members of the administration, including Energy Secretary Rick Perry, have advocated a "renegotiation" of the United States commitments to the agreement, but legal questions have been raised about the feasibility of lowering U.S. carbon reduction goals.
"To some people, Paris is more than just an environmental deal", a person familiar with the talks said as the debate roiled.
Under former President Barack Obama, the USA and China issued several joint statements on climate change, even announcing together they would sign the Paris agreement. Both men have this week pressed Trump to stay on board.
In a letter to the president dated Tuesday, the organizations drew on their religious backgrounds in urging Trump not to nix the agreement.
France Elects a Pro-European Union President
The rest will be from the centrist Modem party or rebels from the Socialists and right-wing Republicans. The result wasn't close - Macron had 64 per cent support with about 90 per cent of votes counted.
Spicer also said that Trump had been meeting with his team "extensively" to discuss the issue.
"I do know how your new president has made a decision to jeopardize your budget, your initiatives as he is extremely skeptical about climate change".
The Bonn meeting, a technical discussion held every year to prepare for an annual round of political-level negotiations, has been overshadowed by fears that a United States withdrawal would throw the entire process into disarray.
Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, meanwhile, has adopted a more neutral stance, facilitating a policy and legal discussion without advocating for any particular outcome.
But as Trump continues to dismantle the environmental legacy of his predecessor, a political and public relations tug-of-war has emerged between consumer-facing companies that want to stick with Paris and trade groups that insist the US pull out of the agreement.
"Here's a fun fact", reads one such comment.
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