France kept climate change off G7 agenda to avoid clash with US

PARIS, April 24 (Reuters) - ‌France wound ​up ​a meeting of G7 environment ministers on Friday defending its "pragmatic" decision ‌to keep climate change off the ⁠agenda to avoid a clash with the U.S.

U.S. ‌President Donald Trump has ‌dismissed climate change as a hoax despite scientific evidence, and has withdrawn his ​country from several international climate bodies.

Keeping it off the formal agenda of the ⁠Paris-hosted meeting was "a more pragmatic approach" that avoided "the risk ​of certain partners walking from the negotiating table," French Environment Minister Monique ​Barbut told reporters.

"Nobody wanted a ‌confrontation and everyone is relieved this G7 meeting happened in ⁠good conditions. Everybody was willing to find a positive outcome and work on widely shared ⁠issues."

The talks covered issues ranging from biodiversity to water ​resources and ocean protection, added Barbut, whose country is the current chair of the G7 bloc ‌of wealthy nations.

"I am happy with the outcome. I asked to ‌look at the points of convergence," ⁠she said, citing progress ‌on nature ​protection and boosting funding for biodiversity.

(Reporting by Dominique Vidalon; Editing by Andrew ‌Cawthorne)

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