Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte deplores American president Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the 2016 Paris Agreement to limit climate change, reports the AD.

‘Dealing with climate change is not only necessary, but it also offers global economic opportunities,’ said Rutte in a statement. ‘Without US participation, it is more difficult to achieve the goals of the Paris agreement, but the rest of the world is still behind it. That has not changed.’

He pledged the support of the Netherlands in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Sharon Dijksma, junior environment minister, said Trump was making a ‘historic mistake’, reports ANP, but that the effort would continue.

Trump announced his decision to withdraw from the accord of 197 countries –joining Syria and Nicaragua – late on Thursday night. He said the accord would ‘keep our beautiful country tied up and bound down’ but said he was open to renegotiating.

But the leaders of France, Germany and Italy said in a joint statement that they ‘firmly believe’ the deal cannot be reworked.

The decision confirms Trump’s ‘doctrine of America against the rest’, writes the Volkskrant on Friday.

In an opinion piece by Ben van Raaij, the Volkskrant argued that international efforts to manage climate change will go ahead, with or without the United States – even though it is the world’s second-biggest emitter of greenhouse gasses, after China.