British prime minister Tony Blair on Thursday glossed over his failure to persuade the US to agree to firm targets on greenhouse gases, hailing a ”very substantial coming together” within the G8 on climate change.

Speaking after his final meeting with George W. Bush before stepping down as prime minister later this month, Mr Blair praised the US president for helping move the climate change debate forward ”a great deal” over the past week. ”Everyone wants to be part of a post-Kyoto deal,” he said.