GENEVA, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- The next U.S. president should show greater leadership in tackling the global climate change challenge, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said here on Sunday.

    "Now with the expected change of the administration of the United States, of course I would expect that the future president, whoever may be, will have to exercise greater leadership," Ban told journalists after attending a ceremony marking the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

    The Nobel Prize-winning body was set up by the World Meteorological Organization and the UN Environment Program, with an aim to provide to decision-makers with an objective source of information about climate change.

    As the world's largest economy and one of the biggest emission producing countries, the United States "will have to take the most important leadership of all," Ban said.

    He said all countries in the international community were actually "looking for more and greater leadership of the United States."

    He also expressed hope that whoever may be elected as the next president of the United States, he may be "in a better position to lead" in the world's efforts to tackle climate change.

    Ban also urged other developed countries to take similar leadership roles, although developing countries should also get onboard on the principle of common responsibilities.

    "I have been publicly stating that in addressing the global warming phenomenon, the developed countries should lead this campaign," he said.

    "Developed countries should lead this process with increased fundings, increased technology transfer for developing countries," he added.