Story highlights The notification comes two months after President Donald Trump announced his intention to leave the accord

Earlier this week, two studies concluded that global temperatures are likely to rise more than 2 degrees Celsius by the end of the century

(CNN) The Trump administration took another step Friday towards exiting the Paris climate agreement, notifying the United Nations of its decision to leave the deal even as it pledges to stay engaged on the issue of climate change.

"The United States supports a balanced approach to climate policy that lowers emissions while promoting economic growth and ensuring energy security," the State Department said in a statement to reporters announcing the UN notification.

"We will continue to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions through innovation and technology breakthroughs and work with other countries to help them access and use fossil fuels more cleanly and efficiently and deploy renewable and other clean energy sources, given the importance of energy access and security in many nationally determined contributions," the statement added.

The notification comes two months after President Donald Trump announced his intention to leave the accord, fulfilling a longtime campaign promise and rejecting appeals from other world leaders to stay in the deal.

Currently, all but two nations -- Syria and Nicaragua -- are signatories to the accord.

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