Mayor Michael Hancock on Thursday said Denver would do what it could to uphold the Paris climate change accord, an announcement that came before President Donald Trump announced that the United States would withdraw from the international pact at least for the short term.

“Denver has been a leader in combating climate change and in growing the clean energy economy,” Hancock said in a statement. “We will not back down from our commitment to address this global threat and will continue the pledge to meet the targets of the Paris Agreement even in the absence of federal leadership.”

Trump argued the agreement had disadvantaged the U.S. “to the exclusive benefit of other countries,” leaving American businesses and taxpayers to absorb the cost, according to The Associated Press.

Hancock was attempting to take a public stand before Trump’s announcement, in which the president said the U.S. would begin talks to re-enter the agreement: “A decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement would threaten every American community’s health and safety, not to mention impact our global alliances.”

Denver and other cities have no ability to dictate federal policy, and it’s unclear what effect Denver’s efforts might have beyond its city limits — making Hancock’s statement mostly symbolic.

The city has pursued sustainability goals and other initiatives under Hancock and earlier mayors that are aimed at reducing its impact on the environment. Trump’s announcement Thursday won’t have any direct impact on city initiatives. In 2015, Denver released a Climate Action Plan.

Hancock’s statement reaffirmed Denver’s commitment, noting that the changing climate “is a serious threat to our economy and way of life in Colorado, as we see increasing wildfires, flooding, drought and decreasing snow cover. Poor air quality and extreme heat impacts public health, especially our most vulnerable populations.”