Cop26 president Alok Sharma struck a hopeful note on Friday about the prospects for agreeing a deal in the climate summit’s final hours.
Mr Sharma said all-night talks had led to draft agreements that "bring us another step closer" to the summit's goal of turning the tide against climate change.
But he said “a small number of key issues remain”, which mean a Friday evening finish for the talks is not yet certain.
The two-week negotiations were heading for a rocky climax as tensions over finance, fossil fuels and carbon trading stalled progress in Glasgow.
Under pressure from fossil-fuel reliant countries, negotiators have toned down calls to phase out oil, coal and gas.
The latest draft agreement calls on countries to scrap unabated coal power and inefficient subsidies for fossil fuels, adding qualifications to a previous text.
An earlier version that circulated on Wednesday had urged parties to “accelerate the phasing out of coal and subsidies for fossil fuel".
The amendments cast doubt on whether the UK summit hosts would succeed in their aim of “consigning coal to history” at Cop26.
But Mr Sharma said talks on financing the green transition had gathered pace after he bemoaned a lack of progress on Thursday.
He urged negotiators to seize the final hours of Cop26 as a "chance to forge a cleaner, healthier, more prosperous world" and come forward with pragmatic solutions so the summit could finish on time.
"Across the full suite of the draft decisions, a small number of key issues remain which require our urgent collective attention," he said.
"It has been my sincere intention throughout Cop26 to bring this conference to a smooth and orderly close at the end of today. We need that final injection of that can-do spirit which is present at this Cop so we get this shared endeavour over the line."
After Mr Sharma spoke, dozens of countries took the floor to make their final pleas to the summit, with some lamenting the stalemate on carbon markets which has remained unresolved since the Paris Agreement.
Final hours
The 12-day talks have produced a string of promises by batches of individual countries to cut methane emissions, curb deforestation and turn their backs on coal power.
But the final texts, which will sum up the progress made in Glasgow, require negotiations between all of the nearly 200 delegations.
"It was a late night for us yesterday, and we expect there might be a couple of hours left before we can conclude," said Sweden's chief negotiator Mattias Frumerie, who expressed hope of leaving on time. "Let’s say that Friday is a long day."
Leonore Gewessler, Austria’s Minister for Climate Action, revealed there was a group of states who were "lobbying hard for fossil fuel energy".
“There are attempts to weaken every concrete element," she said. "They are also reluctant for the ambitious declarations of recent days to be in the final text.”
Although some were cheered by the fact fossil fuels were mentioned in the text at all, activists said even the initial version did not go far enough.
"The new final decision text could be better, it should be better, and we have one day left to make it a lot, lot better," said Jennifer Morgan, the head of Greenpeace International. "Right now the fingerprints of fossil fuel interests are still on the text and this is not the breakthrough deal that people hoped for in Glasgow.
"The key line on phasing out coal and fossil fuel subsidies has been critically weakened, but it’s still there and needs to be strengthened again before this summit closes."
Britain had hailed a breakthrough last week when dozens of countries agreed to phase out coal, which is regarded as the dirtiest fossil fuel.
In another agreement, more than 100 nations promised to cut their emissions of methane, which is highly potent in warming the planet.
The draft text published on Friday “invites parties to consider further actions to reduce by 2030 non-carbon dioxide greenhouse gas emissions, including methane”.
A second draft agreement called on countries to revisit their 2030 pledges by the end of next year, sooner than required by the Paris Agreement.
The provisional texts, which may change again before a final version is agreed, said rapid CO2 reductions were needed to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.
Changes to the text can include the subtleties of whether countries are urged, requested or invited to take the steps that activists say are essential.
The Paris deal set the goal of limiting global warming to 2°C, or preferably to 1.5°C, above pre-industrial levels, to prevent catastrophic effects on the climate.
But UN chief Antonio Guterres told delegates that the current suite of national climate plans would actually lead to emissions increasing by 2030.
“We need pledges to be implemented. We need commitments to turn concrete. We need actions to be verified,” he said.
Mr Sharma, the summit president, told negotiators that “we still have a monumental challenge ahead of us” as talks entered their final stretch.
He insisted the summit could finish as planned on Friday evening, but there were concerns that talks could stretch deep into the weekend.
Jochen Flasbarth, the head of the German delegation, told German radio his team was making preparations to stay into the weekend if necessary.
The question of finance continues to loom over the talks, with the draft text expressing concern that money for adaptation “remains insufficient”.
“Negotiations on finance really need to accelerate and they need to accelerate now,” Mr Sharma said on Thursday.
Investors with $130 trillion of assets promised in the first week of talks to manage their funds in accordance with the Paris goals.
Rich countries who missed a 2020 deadline to provide $100 billion in annual climate finance are now promising to do so by 2023.
Negotiators were also working on the so-called Paris Rulebook, the agreed rules for how the global climate deal should be implemented.
"We’re seeing texts coming out which will probably be revised during the course of the day," said Mr Frumerie, the Swedish delegate.
"There have been some developments which we think are positive but we also want to see further action being taken in these last couple of hours."
A letter by the official Friends of Cop – expert advisers appointed by the UK government – said the same urgency was needed on finance and adaptation as on cutting emissions.
They told Mr Sharma that countries should be pressed harder into improving their climate plans by Cop27 in Egypt next year, or at the latest by Cop28 in the UAE.
"Today's draft is an improvement but still falls short of where we need to get," said Justin Adams, one of the advisers.
"Finance remains the thread that links it all together and is essential to restore trust in the broader process."
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
Company%20Profile
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In%20the%20Land%20of%20Saints%20and%20Sinners
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERobert%20Lorenz%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Liam%20Neeson%2C%20Kerry%20Condon%2C%20Jack%20Gleeson%2C%20Ciaran%20Hinds%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Saturday's schedule at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
GP3 race, 12:30pm
Formula 1 final practice, 2pm
Formula 1 qualifying, 5pm
Formula 2 race, 6:40pm
Performance: Sam Smith
Polarised public
31% in UK say BBC is biased to left-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is biased to right-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is not biased at all
Source: YouGov
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
How the UAE gratuity payment is calculated now
Employees leaving an organisation are entitled to an end-of-service gratuity after completing at least one year of service.
The tenure is calculated on the number of days worked and does not include lengthy leave periods, such as a sabbatical. If you have worked for a company between one and five years, you are paid 21 days of pay based on your final basic salary. After five years, however, you are entitled to 30 days of pay. The total lump sum you receive is based on the duration of your employment.
1. For those who have worked between one and five years, on a basic salary of Dh10,000 (calculation based on 30 days):
a. Dh10,000 ÷ 30 = Dh333.33. Your daily wage is Dh333.33
b. Dh333.33 x 21 = Dh7,000. So 21 days salary equates to Dh7,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service. Multiply this figure for every year of service up to five years.
2. For those who have worked more than five years
c. 333.33 x 30 = Dh10,000. So 30 days’ salary is Dh10,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service.
Note: The maximum figure cannot exceed two years total salary figure.
Sonchiriya
Director: Abhishek Chaubey
Producer: RSVP Movies, Azure Entertainment
Cast: Sushant Singh Rajput, Manoj Bajpayee, Ashutosh Rana, Bhumi Pednekar, Ranvir Shorey
Rating: 3/5
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
The specs: 2018 Audi RS5
Price, base: Dh359,200
Engine: 2.9L twin-turbo V6
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 450hp at 5,700rpm
Torque: 600Nm at 1,900rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.7L / 100km
Best Academy: Ajax and Benfica
Best Agent: Jorge Mendes
Best Club : Liverpool
Best Coach: Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)
Best Goalkeeper: Alisson Becker
Best Men’s Player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Best Partnership of the Year Award by SportBusiness: Manchester City and SAP
Best Referee: Stephanie Frappart
Best Revelation Player: Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid and Portugal)
Best Sporting Director: Andrea Berta (Atletico Madrid)
Best Women's Player: Lucy Bronze
Best Young Arab Player: Achraf Hakimi
Kooora – Best Arab Club: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)
Kooora – Best Arab Player: Abderrazak Hamdallah (Al-Nassr FC, Saudi Arabia)
Player Career Award: Miralem Pjanic and Ryan Giggs
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Common OCD symptoms and how they manifest
Checking: the obsession or thoughts focus on some harm coming from things not being as they should, which usually centre around the theme of safety. For example, the obsession is “the building will burn down”, therefore the compulsion is checking that the oven is switched off.
Contamination: the obsession is focused on the presence of germs, dirt or harmful bacteria and how this will impact the person and/or their loved ones. For example, the obsession is “the floor is dirty; me and my family will get sick and die”, the compulsion is repetitive cleaning.
Orderliness: the obsession is a fear of sitting with uncomfortable feelings, or to prevent harm coming to oneself or others. Objectively there appears to be no logical link between the obsession and compulsion. For example,” I won’t feel right if the jars aren’t lined up” or “harm will come to my family if I don’t line up all the jars”, so the compulsion is therefore lining up the jars.
Intrusive thoughts: the intrusive thought is usually highly distressing and repetitive. Common examples may include thoughts of perpetrating violence towards others, harming others, or questions over one’s character or deeds, usually in conflict with the person’s true values. An example would be: “I think I might hurt my family”, which in turn leads to the compulsion of avoiding social gatherings.
Hoarding: the intrusive thought is the overvaluing of objects or possessions, while the compulsion is stashing or hoarding these items and refusing to let them go. For example, “this newspaper may come in useful one day”, therefore, the compulsion is hoarding newspapers instead of discarding them the next day.
Source: Dr Robert Chandler, clinical psychologist at Lighthouse Arabia
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
