Isolated US hits back

The White House hit back Friday at criticism of Donald Trump's decision to scrap a major global climate deal, accusing Europe of trying to "shackle" the US economy and refusing to acknowledge climate change is real.

With the United States virtually isolated on the world stage, a string of administration officials went on the offensive Friday to justify the Republican president's decision to abandon the 195-nation Paris deal curbing global emissions.

Trump's top climate advisor Scott Pruitt was indignant: "The world applauded when we joined Paris. And you know why? I think they applauded because they knew it would put this country at a disadvantage."

"The European leaders, why do they want us to stay in? They know it will continue to shackle our economy," said Pruitt, who serves as Trump's Environment Protection Agency administrator.

That combative tone came amid a wave of bitter condemnation from around the world and as Trump and his aides refused to say whether he believes climate change is real, in line with the global scientific consensus.

Along with Trump, Pruitt and White House press secretary Sean Spicer were among those who refused to answer repeated questions on the subject.

Instead, Pruitt lashed out, saying "we have nothing to be apologetic about as a country," despite the United States being the world's second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases after China.

"We have taken significant steps to reduce our CO2 footprint," he said.

As well as world outcry, Trump's decision prompted a domestic backlash, with state governors, city mayors and powerful companies already drawing up plans to meet the Paris pact's greenhouse gas emission targets.

At least two Republican governors announced Friday they were partnering with Democratic-run states to combat climate change.

The Paris Agreement commits signatories to keep the worldwide rise in temperatures "well below" two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) from pre-industrial times and to "pursue efforts" to hold the increase under 1.5 degrees Celsius.