All times listed are in local time (GMT). At 8:15 p.m., the talks concluded after a last-minute dispute over the wording "down" or "out" in relation to coal use. The result was a global agreement with the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, in an effort to prevent catastrophic climate change. Initial reactions to the deal were mixed, with Kaveh Guilanpour, Vice President of International Strategies at the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, stating that the true measure of success for COP26 will be seen in the future, as the focus shifts from promises on paper to actual implementation. At 7:40 p.m., COP26 President Alok Sharma appeared emotional, almost on the brink of tears, as India's environment minister Bhupender Yadav disrupted the adoption process of the Glasgow pact by suggesting a change in the language regarding coal use. Instead of phasing out coal, the new proposal was to "phase down" its use. While some countries expressed disappointment, they still pledged their support to prevent the negotiations from failing. Sharma expressed regret for the way the process unfolded and became visibly emotional. At 7:23 p.m., COP26 President Alok Sharma officially began the formal plenary by stating, "It is now decision time." At 7:04 p.m., it was confirmed that a deal had been reached according to China. Chinese climate envoy Xie Zhenhua signaled approval to Reuters when questioned on the plenary floor about the passing of the Glasgow pact. He then stated "we have a deal" through his translator. However, he did offer a critique. "The voice of developing nations has not been adequately listened to," he stated with the help of his translator at 6:51 p.m. Samuel Adeoye Adejuwon, a technical adviser representing Nigeria, mentioned that his country supports India's stance against using strong language to address fossil fuels in the Glasgow agreement. He emphasized the need to consider the unique circumstances of developing countries and argued that they should not be pressured to halt their developmental processes. Adejuwon also noted that the discussions between the US, China, and India regarding coal were aimed at reaching a compromise. At 6:42 p.m., observers at the UN climate talks became anxious when representatives from the United States and the EU held a meeting with their counterparts from China and India to discuss the language in the deal regarding the phasing out of coal. The meeting lasted about 30 minutes before they emerged. A member of the Indian delegation confirmed to Reuters that the meeting took place, indicating that last-minute negotiations were happening as the UK conference hosts pushed for an agreement. Just before the meeting, US special envoy John Kerry was overheard by Reuters reminding his Chinese counterpart Xie Zhenhua that they had agreed to phase out coal over the next 20 years. At 5:36 p.m., COP26 President Alok Sharma announces that the meeting will resume shortly after country delegations complete their speeches. A vote on the deal is expected to take place once they reconvene. At 4:40 p.m., US special climate envoy John Kerry observed that not everyone was pleased with the draft deal being discussed at the UN talks in Glasgow, noting that discomfort among all parties is a sign of a successful negotiation. The negotiation was considered successful by some, despite criticism from poor and island nations who felt the draft did not provide enough support. Maldives Environment Minister Aminath Shauna warned that time was running out for countries like the Maldives. India's environment minister, Bhupender Yadav, also expressed disagreement with the draft deal, particularly with the request for developing countries to phase out fossil fuel subsidies. Yadav argued that developing countries are still focused on their development agendas and poverty eradication. At 4:08 p.m., Swiss Environment Minister Simonetta Sommaruga expressed her country's dissatisfaction with the deal due to concerns about how it addressed global carbon markets, but stated they would accept it nonetheless. She mentioned leaving the COP26 with a sense of discontent. Gabon's Minister of Water, Forests, Sea, and Environment, Lee White, also shared some reservations before departing the conference, emphasizing the need for further reassurance from developed countries. At 3:58 p.m., he remarked that the deal was not flawless. The poor and small island nations repeatedly expressed their support for the draft climate deal during the plenary, despite acknowledging its limitations. These nations, including low-lying island countries and small economy blocs, have been advocating for more financial assistance from wealthy nations to address various climate-related challenges. Although some, like Marshall Islands climate envoy Tina Stege, believed the deal fell short in this regard, they still pledged their support as they could not return to their islands empty-handed. Tuvalu's climate envoy Seve Paeniu, holding a photo of his grandchildren, emphasized the importance of securing their future by fulfilling the promises made at the Glasgow summit. At 3:44 p.m., EU climate chief Frans Timmermans received enthusiastic applause for urging countries to come together for the sake of future generations. He emphasized the importance of reaching a deal for the well-being of "our children, our grandchildren," stating that they would not forgive us if we do not succeed. Timmermans warned that the conference was at risk of faltering near the end if countries insisted on making new changes to the texts. At 3:30 p.m., he expressed that delivering this agreement would be the greatest Christmas gift he could offer to the attendees. In an optimistic development, Chinese negotiator Zhao Yingmin stated that while the current draft of the deal is not perfect, his team has no plans to reopen it. Representatives from Tanzania and Guinea expressed disappointment that the draft did not provide enough financial assistance for poor, climate-vulnerable nations like theirs. COP26 President Alok Sharma initiated an informal plenary to review the latest proposals, emphasizing that the conference was at a critical juncture for the planet and future generations. Despite remaining differences on the final agreement, Sharma indicated that negotiations needed to conclude soon. In the moments leading up to the official plenary session, US special envoy John Kerry and his Chinese counterpart Xie Zhenhua were seen together, meticulously reviewing a document line by line. Just days before, the two surprised the summit by releasing a joint declaration in which China committed to increasing its efforts to combat climate change by reducing coal usage, controlling methane emissions, and preserving forests. Meanwhile, at 2:30 p.m., negotiators were meeting privately to address final obstacles to reaching an agreement, leaving delegates from three countries confused and uninformed about the ongoing discussions. One negotiator described the situation as chaotic, highlighting the last-minute tensions surrounding the deal. China's No.. As he arrived at his country's offices, negotiator Zhao Yingmin stated that he had no new information. Meanwhile, representatives from Brazil were observed attending a meeting of the G77 group of developing nations. At 1:45 p.m., after an hour and 45 minutes, Sharma returned to the microphone to inform everyone that they could leave but should return at 2:30 p.m. for the official plenary session to commence. The delay was necessary for parties to finalize their negotiations, and Sharma assured that a deal would be reached later in the afternoon. At 1:06 p.m., COP26 President Alok Sharma attempted twice to get delegates from other nations to sit down in the plenary room, where he had arrived promptly at noon. However, an hour later, he was still unable to successfully gather everyone. On one side of the stage, large groups of discussions continued to take place, while US climate envoy John Kerry was seen moving between different groups in the room. By 12:30 p.m., delegates were eagerly awaiting updates on the negotiations, despite the delays, and remained composed. Axel Michaelowa, an advisor to the Honduras delegation, noted that it is typical for the COP to run over time, so the delays were expected. In the cafeteria, opinions were divided on whether the delays indicated a strong agreement to limit global warming to 1.5C or a weaker one. Emily Wright from Save the Children International believed the delay showed commitment to a deal that benefits everyone, while Naja Moretro from the Norwegian Church Aid Youth Organisation felt the language in the texts was becoming less clear. Danish Climate Minister Dan Jorgensen expressed his support for language in the final deal that pushes for a phase-out of coal as he entered the summit's plenary room at 12:02 p.m. He stated that it is important to recognize that the focus is not on shaming countries reliant on fossil fuels, but rather on providing assistance to help them transition away from coal. One positive change in the text is the inclusion of the concept of 'just transition.' Nellie Dokie, 37, has been commuting two hours each way to work as a chef at the conference center, where she has been cooking for VIPs and delegates before exploring the main conference area. Dokie resides in Glasgow, hailing from Liberia. She expressed her desire to contribute to history, stating that she played a minor role. At 11:20 a.m., US Special Climate Envoy John Kerry seemed to be in a jovial mood. He mentioned that it was a lovely day in Scotland while walking with his key negotiators Sue Biniaz, Jonathan Pershing, and Trigg Talley, with reporters following closely behind. It was not clear if his comment was based on the progress of negotiations at the conference or the unexpectedly sunny weather in Glasgow. The focus of activity had moved to "bilateral" meeting rooms throughout the conference venue over the past day. Delegates were gathered in these windowless rooms, closely monitored by security. They were going over the draft text in preparation for the noon stocktaking session. At 8:53 a.m., a group of Greenpeace employees were gathered in the COP26 conference halls, working on a new statement about the latest draft revisions. Spanish Energy and Environment Minister Teresa Ribera was seen hurrying from her delegation's office, while the UK COP26 Presidency released what many hope is the final draft of the Glasgow agreement. Technical crews were dismantling equipment and removing it from meeting rooms as they continued to break down parts of the venue. At 8:21 a.m., delegates were ready for the release of another draft agreement after intense discussions overnight. The pavilions that were used by countries to display their eco-friendly projects have been taken down, but coffee stands are still open. Civil society organizations are closely examining the documents that were released early in the morning to try to understand what will be included in the final agreement. At 9:30 p.m. on Friday, the UK conference hosts announced that there will not be a deal made that night. Alok Sharma, the UK summit president, stated that he expects formal meetings to take place in the afternoon on Saturday to finalize decisions and close the session. Delegations and the media seemed to be heading back to their hotels to get some rest before what is expected to be a long day tomorrow. At 8:40 p.m., the COP26 conference halls became quiet as small groups of negotiators, including about twelve EU delegates, were seen moving along the halls to and from meetings. According to Costa Rica's carbon markets negotiator, Felipe De Leon Denegri, this "shuttle diplomacy," where diplomats shuttle between rooms, is how most of the work is accomplished in the final hours of climate negotiations. However, this year's negotiations may be quieter as a lot of the communication is now done over the messaging app WhatsApp. De Leon noted that in the 21st century, it is not uncommon for shuttle diplomacy to take place on WhatsApp, which he finds somewhat peculiar. He believes that the pandemic and the rise of virtual work have led to an increase in exchanges conducted through the Facebook-owned app. Despite this shift to virtual platforms, people are still actively working, but are now doing so through their phones without physically going anywhere. Tuvalu's Finance Minister Seve Paeniu, who leads the delegation of the island nation, disclosed that he spent most of the previous night negotiating the section of the draft agreement related to "loss and damage". Countries like Tuvalu, which are vulnerable to climate change impacts, are pushing for wealthy nations with high emissions to provide financial compensation. He mentioned that his team is making efforts to urge the United States and Australia to support a separate fund for loss and damage. He also expressed his determination to ensure a strong collective agreement is reached in Glasgow to maintain the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5C. He stated that countries have not shown enough commitment to reducing emissions to reach the 1.5 degree target, and there is not enough emphasis on providing additional financing for adaptation. Former UK Labour Party leader Ed Miliband paused in the hallway to praise a speech delivered by Paeniu earlier. At 7:38 p.m., the delegation offices at the summit complex were mostly quiet. Two prominent negotiators from China were observed in their office, while nearby, two US negotiators were seen walking down the hall with sandwiches. It was anticipated that the night would be lengthy due to significant discrepancies regarding increasing emissions cuts pledges and addressing issues related to carbon markets and funding for developing countries.