Trump to Bypass Paris Agreement? UN Chief Hopes US President Understands Climate Change

The new US President-elect Donald Trump is planning on quitting from the Paris Climate agreement, and it seems that he's keen on finding the quickest way to do it. However, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon hopes that Trump will soon understand the gravity of climate change.

A source from Trump's transition team reveals to Reuters that the Republican candidate is finding a way to quit the Paris agreement immediately despite the imposed four-year procedure by the accord. Trump, who is a big climate change skeptic, previously said that climate change is just a "Chinese hoax," promising that he will withdraw from the Obama-supported agreement once elected.

Article 28 of the accord states that if a country wants to leave after signing the Paris Agreement, a four-year waiting period will be applied, making the earliest date for Trump and the U.S. to leave the accord to Nov. 4, 2020. This is not favorable to the Trump administration because by that time, a new U.S. presidential election will occur.

"It was reckless for the Paris agreement to enter into force before the election," the source told Reuters. The source added that the incoming administration is considering on finding alternative ways to make the U.S.' withdrawal faster. These include meddling with past agreements, sending a withdrawal letter from the 1992 international framework accord, issuing a presidential order and voiding U.S.' involvement in the past years.

Meanwhile, with the news of Trump's plans, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Tuesday that climate change is "unstoppable." He hopes that Trump, a successful businessman himself, understands that the market is now leaning towards renewable clean energy rather than fossil fuels.

Ban hopes that Trump will drop his previous claim on climate change and is sure that "he will make a ... wise decision," as per Reuters. Trump has previously claimed that he will boost the use of coal, the dirtiest fossil fuel, once elected.

"I hope he will really hear and understand the seriousness and urgency of addressing climate change. As President of the United States I hope he understands this, listens and evaluates his campaign remarks," Ban said.