COP26: Nations strike climate deal that falls short

Almost 200 countries at the United Nations COP26 summit in Scotland have agreed to a deal to contain the world s climate crisis  but the pact did not go far enough to tackle catastrophic global warming.

The final text at the end of the two-week Glasgow talks was finally adopted on Saturday_ a day after the talks had initially been scheduled to end and following a last-minute proposed change by India.

The change called on parties to accelerate  efforts to phase down rather than  phase out coal power_ the single biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions.

Several countries  including small_ low-lying island nations  said they were deeply disappointed by the watering down of the crucial language but had no choice but to go along with it.

 There was a real sense of ambush in the air_ said Al Jazeera s Nick Clark_ reporting from the talks.

COP26 President Alok Sharma said he was  deeply sorry for how the summit ended.

With his voice breaking with emotion after hearing from vulnerable nations_ 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.

UN chief Antonio Guterres called the global deal  an important step but said_  it s not enough. It s time to go into emergency mode.

 The approved texts are a compromise. They reflect the interests_ the conditions_ the contradictions and the state of political will in the world today_ he added.  They take important steps_ but unfortunately the collective political will was not enough to overcome some deep contradictions.