UK draft climate deal urges countries to step up climate goals

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It is being closely watched for what it might commit countries to do to bridge the gap between their current climate targets and the more ambitious action scientists say is needed to avert disastrous levels of warming.

Diplomats from the nearly 200 countries represented at COP26 will hunker down on Wednesday to negotiate a final text they are all willing to sign when the summit ends this weekend.

Poorer, climate-vulnerable countries have called for countries to cap warming at 1.5C - a temperature increase scientists say is just short of calamitous.

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The push for more regular reviews of climate plans is seen as necessary because countries' current 2030 pledges would lead to 2.4C of warming.

The draft, which the UN released just before 0600 GMT, also calls on countries to "accelerate the phasing-out of coal and subsidies for fossil fuels," a demand of climate change campaigners and "urges" developed countries to "urgently scale-up" financial support for developing countries to respond to their needs to adapt to the impacts of climate change.