Ban Ki-moon: US has caused serious damage to Paris climate efforts

Ex-UN secretary general tells the Guardian decision to withdraw hampers global political action

Donald Trump's decision to withdraw the US from the Paris agreement has created serious problems for global efforts to tackle climate change, Ban Ki-moon has said.

The former UN secretary general said Trump's move was politically damaging to international action to limit carbon emissions and had created difficulties in delivering financial aid from richer to poorer countries to help the latter cope with a warming world.