NEW YORK • US President-elect Donald Trump refused to repeat his promise to abandon the international climate accord reached last year in Paris. Instead, he said: "I have an open mind to it."

Mr Trump admitted that there was "some connectivity" between human activity and global warming, despite previously describing climate change as a hoax.

He said he was looking at the accord, which binds countries to national pledges to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, "very closely". But he added that he nevertheless remained concerned about how much green measures would "cost our companies".

The comments represent an abrupt shift for Mr Trump, whose previous statements on climate change include saying that the concept was "created by and for the Chinese". Those comments have put him at odds with most world leaders and an overwhelming majority of scientists.

NYTIMES, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, BLOOMBERG