Climate deal struck at COP26 with coal compromise

India intervenes to water down language on cutting emissions from coal.

Almost 200 nations accepted a contentious climate compromise on November 13 (Glasgow time) aimed at keeping a key global warming target alive, but it contained a last-minute change that some high officials called a watering down of crucial language about coal.

Several countries, including small island states, said they were deeply disappointed by the change put forward by India to “phase down”, rather than “phase out” coal power, the single biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions.

Nation after nation had complained earlier on the final day of two weeks of U.N. climate talks in Glasgow about how the deal isn’t enough, but they said it was better than nothing and provides incremental progress, if not success.