Tears for a COP out: Climate conference president Alok Sharma chokes up and tells delegates he is 'deeply sorry' as he signs 'watered down' green deal after China and India force a late change over coal
World leaders at the Cop26 climate change summit have reached a deal today
There is fury from EU nations due to last-minute wording changes over coal
The Glasgow Pact was watered down after pressure from India and China
Alok Sharma 'fought back tears' and said he was 'deeply sorry' for the change
Talks overran due to disputes over finance, fossil fuels and cutting emissions
A new global climate deal has been agreed at Cop26 in Glasgow but Britain's president of the conference Alok Sharma 'fought back tears' as he apologised for a last-minute change on the wording about coal.
Leaders at the Cop26 climate change summit reached a deal on Saturday after talks overran by more than 24 hours, but it prompted fury after China, whose president did not attend, and India forced a last-minute change over the language about coal.
The Glasgow Pact was watered down at the last minute with the wording of unabated coal - the burning of coal without climate change mitigating technology - changed from 'phase out' to 'phase down', leading to angry responses from European and vulnerable countries.
Britain's president of the conference Alok Sharma 'fought back tears' on Saturday as he told delegates he was 'deeply sorry' for how the 'process' unfolded as he brought down the gavel to signal an agreement had been passed.
His voice broke with emotion after hearing from vulnerable nations, which expressed their anger over the changes to the text, as he said: 'May I just say to all delegates I apologise for the way this process has unfolded and I am deeply sorry.'
'I also understand the deep disappointment but I think as you have noted, it's also vital that we protect this package.'
Despite fierce disagreements over the wording of the deal, it is still a progressive agreement as it is the first UN climate agreement that has made an explicit mention of fossil fuels.
The overall deal has seen nearly 200 countries agree to keep the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels 'alive' or within reach.
The pact requests countries revisit and strengthen their 2030 national climate action targets 'as necessary to align with the Paris Agreement temperature goal by the end of 2022, taking into account different national circumstances'.
World leaders and campaigners shared their disappointment at the changes made in the agreement, with some even deeming the deal as 'weak', while others insisted that the summit made important progress for global warming.
But many world leaders expressed their optimism following the conference, arguing that the green deal is an important step in tackling the climate crisis and will make a difference in the coming years.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10198777/Cop26-talks-agree-countries-strengthen-emissions-cutting-targets-end-year.html