EU lashes out as climate discord deepens

Europe accused the United States and China of torpedoing the Copenhagen climate summit and vowed not to back down in its push for a tough, binding accord to avert the potential disaster of global warming.

Post-summit recriminations deepened even among the select nations, including the United States, China, India and Brazil, that convened behind closed doors to stitch together a widely panned deal in the Danish capital at the weekend.

With scientists warning of the growing threat of drought, floods, storms and rising sea levels, UN chief Ban Ki-Moon acknowledged international disappointment but called the summit an "essential beginning".

Defying the ire of bitterly disappointed environmentalists, Indian Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said his country had emerged "quite well in Copenhagen" by thwarting moves to set binding emissions targets.

However the European Union's Swedish presidency called the summit a "disaster".

Briefing reporters after a meeting of EU environment ministers, Swedish chairman Andreas Carlgren said "disappointment and frustration" was universal among the European nations.

"We are aware that the outcome of Copenhagen doesn't at all match the needs of (the) climate and of mankind," Sweden's environment minister said yesterday.