A meeting of G7 nations on the environment begins in Paris on Thursday but climate change has been left off the agenda to avoid a row with the United States.

The office of France’s ecology minister Monique Barbut said the two-day meeting would focus on “less contentious issues” in an effort to appease the largest and most powerful G7 member.

“We chose not to address the climate issue head-on... because the United States’ positions on this subject are well known,” the ministry said.

“We wanted to prioritise G7 unity, particularly to protect this forum.”