All times are local (GMT). At 8:15 p.m., the talks concluded with a global agreement that aimed to preserve the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, in order to prevent catastrophic climate change. There were varying opinions on the success of the deal, with some suggesting that the true measure of success will be seen in the future, as promises on paper are translated into action. At 7:40 p.m., COP26 President Alok Sharma appeared on the verge of tears as India's environment minister Bhupender Yadav disrupted the adoption process of the Glasgow pact by proposing new language that suggested governments should "phase down" coal use rather than eliminate it completely. Despite some countries expressing disappointment, they still pledged their support for the deal to prevent the negotiations from collapsing. Sharma, feeling remorseful for the handling of the process, apologized to the plenary and became emotional. Earlier at 7:23 p.m., Sharma had declared, "It is now decision time," as he opened the formal plenary. At 7:04 p.m., a deal was confirmed by Chinese climate envoy Xie Zhenhua during the plenary in Glasgow. Despite expressing approval, he also offered a critique. "The voice of developing nations has not been sufficiently listened to," he stated via his interpreter. At 6:51 p.m., Samuel Adeoye Adejuwon, a technical advisor on Nigeria's delegation, mentioned that Nigeria supported India in objecting to harsh language against fossil fuels in the Glasgow agreement. He argued that developing countries have unique circumstances and should not be pressured to halt their development. Adejuwon told Reuters while delegates were moving around the plenary floor. He also mentioned that the US talks with China and India regarding coal were aimed at reaching a compromise. At 6:42 p.m., attendees at the UN climate talks became anxious when representatives from the United States and the EU met with their counterparts from China and India to discuss the language of the agreement regarding the elimination of coal. The meeting lasted about 30 minutes before the delegates 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 hosts of the conference pushed for a resolution. Just before the meeting, US special envoy John Kerry was overheard by Reuters reminding his Chinese counterpart Xie Zhenhua that China had agreed to phase out coal within the next 20 years. At 5:36 p.m., COP26 President Alok Sharma announces that the meeting will resume shortly after country delegations finish speaking. A vote on the deal is expected to take place once they reconvene. Earlier at 4:40 p.m., United States special climate envoy John Kerry noted that not everyone was pleased with the draft deal at the UN talks in Glasgow, stating, "If it is a good negotiation, all the parties are uncomfortable." "This negotiation, in my opinion, has been successful," he stated following criticism from poorer and island nations that the draft did not offer enough support. Maldives Environment Minister Aminath Shauna was direct in her disappointment, stating that it may be too late for the Maldives. India's environment and climate minister, Bhupender Yadav, also criticized the draft deal for requesting countries to stop fossil fuel subsidies, questioning how developing countries can be expected to make such promises while still focusing on development 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 global carbon market rules, but stated they would accept it. She noted a general feeling of unhappiness among participants at the COP. Gabon's Minister of Water, Forests, Sea and Environment, Lee White, mentioned having unresolved issues and needing reassurance from developed countries before departing from the Glasgow COP. At 3:58 p.m., he commented that the deal was not flawless. The poor and small island nations expressed a common sentiment during the plenary discussion on the draft climate deal, stating that while they felt it did not go far enough in addressing their needs, they would still support it. These countries had been advocating for more financial assistance from wealthier nations to help them transition to clean energy and recover from climate-related disasters. Marshall Islands climate envoy Tina Stege acknowledged the shortcomings of the existing deal but saw it as progress, and pledged her support because she could not return to her island with nothing. Tuvalu's climate envoy Seve Paeniu, showing a photo of his grandchildren, emphasized the importance of the promise made at Glasgow to secure their future. At 3:44 p.m., EU climate chief Frans Timmermans received enthusiastic applause for his plea to countries to come together for the benefit of future generations. He emphasized the importance of reaching a deal for the children and grandchildren, stating that they would not forgive us if we do not succeed. Timmermans warned that the conference could face setbacks if countries insisted on making last-minute changes to the texts. At 3:30 p.m., he expressed that the best Christmas gift he could give to them would be a successful agreement. At the COP26 conference, China negotiator Zhao Yingmin acknowledged that the current draft of the deal is imperfect but stated that his team has no plans to reopen it, which could be seen as a positive development. Representatives from Tanzania and Guinea expressed disappointment that the draft did not provide enough financial assistance for climate-vulnerable nations like theirs. COP26 President Alok Sharma emphasized the urgency of reaching a final agreement, stating that the conference was at a critical juncture for the planet and future generations. Despite remaining differences, Sharma indicated that negotiations needed to come to a close and an accord needed to be reached. Just before the official plenary session was scheduled to begin, US special envoy John Kerry and his Chinese counterpart Xie Zhenhua were seen standing together, reviewing a document line by line. This came after the surprise announcement of a joint declaration between the US and China to increase efforts to combat climate change by reducing coal use, controlling methane emissions, and preserving forests. During closed-door negotiations at 2:30 p.m., delegates from three countries expressed confusion and frustration over the last-minute obstacles to reaching a deal. One negotiator described the situation as chaotic. 2 negotiator Zhao Yingmin, upon arriving at his country's offices, stated that there were no updates. Meanwhile, representatives from Brazil were observed entering a meeting of the G77 group of developing countries. At 1:45 p.m., after an hour and 45 minutes, Sharma returned to the microphone to inform everyone that they could leave for the time being, but to return promptly at 2:30 p.m. for the official plenary session. The delay was necessary to give parties time to finalize their negotiations, and Sharma assured everyone 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 take their seats in the plenary room, where he had arrived promptly at noon. Despite his efforts, an hour later, delegates were still engaged in lively discussions on one side of the stage. Meanwhile, US climate envoy John Kerry was seen mingling with different groups in the room. By 12:30 p.m., delegates were eagerly awaiting updates on the negotiations, but remained patient despite the delays. "It's no surprise that the COP is running over time, it's classic," commented Axel Michaelowa, an advisor to the Honduras delegation. In the cafeteria, opinions varied on what the delays meant for the final deal - did they indicate a strong agreement that could keep temperatures below 1.5C, or a weaker one? "I believe the decision to not finalize it last night suggests they are working towards a deal that benefits everyone," stated Emily Wright from Save the Children International. Naja Moretro, from the Norwegian Church Aid Youth Organisation, disagreed, saying, "The texts are becoming less clear." Danish Climate Minister Dan Jorgensen expressed his support for language in the final deal that calls 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 issue is not about shaming countries reliant on fossil fuels. He emphasized the need for some countries to receive assistance in transitioning away from coal. He suggested that the text should also mention the concept of 'just transition'. Nellie Dokie, 37, has been commuting two hours each way to the conference center to work as a chef. She has been cooking meals for VIPs and delegates, and finally took a break to explore the main conference area. Dokie resides in Glasgow but is originally from Liberia. "I desire to contribute to history. I played a minor role," she expressed. At 11:20 a.m., US Special Climate Envoy John Kerry seemed to be in a cheerful state. He stated that the weather was lovely in Scotland as he walked with his top negotiators Sue Biniaz, Jonathan Pershing, and Trigg Talley, followed by reporters. It was uncertain whether his positive outlook was due to the progress of negotiations or the unusually sunny weather in Glasgow. The focus had shifted to "bilateral" meetings in various rooms at the conference site over the past day, with delegates meeting in secure, windowless rooms. They were examining the preliminary text in preparation for the noon stocktaking session. At 8:53 a.m., a group of Greenpeace staff members were gathered in the COP26 conference halls, working on a new statement regarding the latest draft revisions. Spanish Energy and Environment Minister Teresa Ribera was observed hurrying from her delegation's office, while the UK COP26 Presidency distributed what many believed to be the final draft of a comprehensive Glasgow agreement. Meanwhile, technical crews were dismantling flat-screen displays and removing them from meeting rooms as they continued to break down parts of the venue. By 8:21 a.m., following intense overnight discussions, delegates were ready for the unveiling of another draft agreement. The pavilions set up by various countries to display their environmentally friendly initiatives have been taken down, but coffee stands are still open. Non-governmental organizations who have been closely monitoring the negotiations are carefully examining documents released early in the morning for hints on 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 reached that night. Alok Sharma, the UK summit president, stated that he anticipates formal plenary meetings in the afternoon on Saturday to make decisions and conclude the session. Delegations and members of the media seemed to be returning to their hotels for some rest before a busy day ahead. The COP26 conference halls were quiet at 8:40 p.m., with small groups of negotiators, including several EU delegates, moving back and forth between meetings. According to Felipe De Leon Denegri, Costa Rica's carbon markets negotiator, much of the work during the final hours of climate negotiations is done through "shuttle diplomacy," where diplomats move between rooms. However, this year, a lot of this communication is done through the messaging app WhatsApp, making the process quieter than usual. De Leon noted that in the 21st century, it is sometimes surprising that important diplomatic discussions occur on WhatsApp. He suggested that due to the pandemic and the rise of virtual work, more conversations are taking place on the Facebook-owned app than ever before. Tuvalu's Finance Minister Seve Paeniu, who led the island nation's delegation, spent a sleepless night negotiating the section of the draft agreement related to "loss and damage". Countries like Tuvalu, facing the consequences of climate change, are pushing for wealthy nations with high emissions to provide financial compensation. He mentioned that his team is striving to encourage the United States and Australia to back a separate fund for loss and damage. He also emphasized the importance of reaching a strong collective agreement in Glasgow to maintain the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5C. He expressed concern about countries not committing enough to reduce emissions for this target and insufficient focus on providing additional financing for adaptation. Ed Miliband, former UK Labour Party leader, paused in the hallway to praise Paeniu for a previous speech. At 7:38 p.m., the delegation offices at the summit complex were predominantly silent. 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 disagreements on increasing emissions cuts commitments, handling carbon markets, and providing funding for developing countries.