African countries are boycotting international talks on greenhouse gas emissions held in Barcelona this week, in protest at what they say is a failure of industrial countries to make adequate cuts.

They claim the wealthy countries are not taking the meeting seriously, deliberately stalling, and refusing to set concrete targets to cut their CO2 emissions.

The protest is headed by Algeria, Ethiopia and Gambia. The head of the European delegation, Artur Runge-Metzer, says he understands the African concerns to a degree, but says nothing will be achieved by a boycott.

The Barcelona talks come prior to the climate summit in Copenhagen later this year, aimed at drawing up a treaty to replace the Kyoto Protocol.