Work faster, be flexible to reach climate deal: COP28 president

COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber called on countries on Sunday to work harder, be flexible and accept compromise to reach a deal on tackling climate change, including wording for the first time on the future of fossil fuels.

In remarks made to journalists as negotiators started to tackle some of the more contentious issues in the deal, Jaber told nations that watering down the ambition of the deal and failure were not options.

"Now, the time has come for all parties to constructively engage," he told the conference. "Failure is not an option."

Al Jaber said he was asking all countries to suggest wording for a consensus on fossil fuels.

A coalition of more than 80 countries including the US, the European Union and small island nations are pushing for an agreement at COP28 that includes language to “phase out” fossil fuels, the main source of greenhouse gas emissions that scientists blame for global warming.