French President Emmanuel Macron is hopeful he can convince President Donald Trump to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement.
Trump traveled to Paris last week to meet with Macron and celebrate Bastille Day, a French national holiday.
Macron told a local news outlet they talked about the accord and that Trump "listened" to him. He said: "He understood the reason for my position, notably the link between climate change and terrorism."
The two presidents reportedly spoke in detail about what it would take for the U.S. return to the agreement. Macron says Trump said he would "try to find a solution in the coming months."
Trump left the Paris climate accord because he said he believes it will hurt American factory and coal mining jobs. He called the deal "unfair," but has not yet revealed what a "fair" agreement would look like.
He has expressed his willingness to consider a "better deal." He said he would "begin negotiations to re-enter" the agreement right after he announced he would withdraw.
But the United Nations said the agreement “cannot be renegotiated based on the request of a single party.”
France, Germany and Italy released a joint statement opposing negotiations. And an official from the Maldives called it impractical.
While official renegotiations appear doubtful, the UN says its members are willing to "engage in dialogue" with the U.S. Meanwhile, Macron remains hopeful. In a speech made shortly after Trump announced he was withdrawing from the agreement, Macron told the U.S.: "France believes in you."
