ALOK Sharma admits there are still "significant unresolved issues" as COP26 negotiations head into the final days.
The COP26 president told delegates that “time is not on our side” and that there is still a “mountain to climb” in regards to some of the issues under discussion.
Sharma made the comments during an informal stocktake of negotiations, where ministers were in charge of negotiations on topics such as climate finance, common timeframes and loss and damage.
It comes as Nicola Sturgeon urged Boris Johnson to stay at COP26 for as long as is needed to get a deal.
On Wednesday afternoon, as the summit focused on transport, Sharma, UN executive secretary Patricia Espinosa and UK lead negotiator Archie Young took to the stage in the main plenary.
Ministers from international delegations then set out where they are in the negotiations, with Sharma urging those in attendance to focus on the final goal.
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He said: "I'm sure we're all here to hear progress that has been made, and that some rooms have reached substantive outcomes.
“But I think it's also clear that some significant issues remain unresolved. We know time is not on our side.
“Some of these issues, we still have a mountain to climb. As I said earlier, I do remain committed to bringing this conference to a close on Friday He added that the outcome will be reached through a “transparent, inclusive, party driven process”.
Young, the UK’s negotiator, said that they are very “conscious of the relationship” between the cover decision published on Wednesday and ongoing work.
He said that the three main issues under discussion are commontime frames, transparency frameworks and Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.
Alok Sharma gave an informal update on the state of the negotiations on Wednesday
Article 6 has been a sticking point at previous COPs. It aims to promote a variety of approaches to assist the way government’s implement their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) through voluntary international cooperation.
In theory this should make it easier to achieve targets and raise ambition across the board, and could help lead to a global price on carbon.
Later at a press conference, Sharma urged negotiators to “come with the currency of compromise”.
He said: “We all know what is at stake in these negotiations, and indeed the urgency of our task.
“In very human terms, what we agree in Glasgow will set the future for our children and grandchildren. And I know that no world leader or country will want to fail them.”
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He added: “My message … to anyone living at the frontline of climate change, is that you know we are fighting tooth and nail to make sure we have an ambitious outcome”.
Some of the most vulnerable countries have called for more action on finance, and warned that the language in the text is not strong enough to prevent dangerous warming.
The Alliance of Small Island States group’s chairman, Aubrey Webson, said: “We won’t get the ambition on emissions we need for 1.5C if we don’t scale up the provision of finance, and this includes the long-overdue recognition of a separate and additional component for loss and damage.”
UK negotiator Archie Young said there were three key issues
He said: “Urging, calling, encouraging and inviting is not the decisive language that this moment calls for.
“We have limited time left in the Cop to get this right and send a clear message to our children, and the most vulnerable communities, that we hear you and we are taking this crisis seriously.”
He added: “As mentioned, ministers will also get their documentation on key political issues, including the $100 billion goal, the future of the ultimate finance programme, scaling up adaptation finance and substantive issues related to the new to collective quantify goals.”
It comes as Boris Johnson told journalists at a separate press conference that the result of the COP26 negotiations will not "be enough" to truly tackle the climate crisis.
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