The Latest | UN Climate Summit

The European Union's climate chief criticised the outcomes of the meeting Sharm el-Sheikh, saying it was "not enough of a step forward for people and planet" and did "not address the yawning gap between climate science and our climate policies." Frans Timmermans said the 27-nation bloc had supported the deal in order to ensure the creation of a loss and damage fund, but expressed disappointment that stronger language on cutting emissions hadn't been agreed.

"I urge you to acknowledge, when you walk out of this room, that we have all fallen short in actions to avoid and minimise loss and damage," he said. "We should have done much more." ___ Delegates at the United Nations climate summit in Egypt officially approved a deal on a fund for developing countries vulnerable to climate change made worse by polluting developed nations at a plenary session early on Sunday.

An agreement was reached between parties Saturday afternoon.

COP27 President Sameh Shoukry gavelled the decision a little after 4 am on Sunday to a round of applause.

Loss and damage made it on the official agenda for the first time at the summit in Egypt after increasing pressure from developing countries.

Key decisions on phasing out all fossil fuels and keeping the 1.5 degrees Celsius warming limit agreed during last year's climate summit in Glasgow in the text still hang in the balance.

___ Key Developments: — Last minute objections threaten historic UN climate deal — Despair, lack of progress at climate talks, yet hope blooms ___ Ireland's environment minister said early on Sunday that parties were still awaiting an overarching draft of the UN climate summit's final document.

"I think everybody's very unhappy that we're here, one in the morning, we're still waiting for the cover text," said Eamon Ryan. "I think that's very unusual, to say the least." After nations looked set to reach an agreement on Saturday afternoon on a deal over funding for countries vulnerable to the effects of climate change, talks appeared to stall that evening and into Sunday on emissions cuts and phasing out fossil fuels.

Delegates and observers were seen sleeping in hallways outside the main plenary building.

Ryan said he wanted to see more "ambition" on emissions cuts that would build on pledges made last year to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial times.

"We're not satisfied that there's been sufficient ambition on reducing emissions, and we're going to have to see what further improvements we can get here, but also come back to it," Ryan said.

___ France's energy minister said some "confusion" remains over certain wording on an agreement reached by parties earlier Saturday on loss and damage funding for developing countries suffering from the impacts of climate change cause by high-emitting nations.

"There is a gap between what was understood by some countries, and what was understood by some other countries," said Agnès Pannier-Runacher.

"What is reflected in the agreement does not correspond to the common understanding of the document." On Saturday afternoon nations were poised for an agreement on a loss and damage fund. It is yet to be ratified.

Pannier-Runacher said countries had agreed to a fund "particularly dedicated to vulnerable countries" but that wasn't reflected in the current text.

___ Norway's climate and environment minister said people are "frustrated" by the lack of progress.

Espen Barth Eide said "there were some good spirits" earlier Saturday following a breakthrough on funding for vulnerable countries suffering from the impacts of climate change, known as loss and damage.

But progress stalled on mitigation, or a deal of slashing fossil fuels.

"Some of us are trying to say that we actually have to keep global warming under 1.5 degrees and that requires some action," he said.

"But there's a very strong fossil fuel lobby ... who are trying to block any language that we produce." ___ Papua New Guinea's climate envoy said talks are "now in the hands of the presidency to listen and to propose something that will be acceptable by enough of the parties to move it forward." Speaking late Saturday, Kevin Conrad said that nations were looking for pledges for tougher cuts on emissions that would be in line with limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit).

"People want ambition when it comes to mitigation, and that's valid," he said.

Malcolm Stufkens, the Honduran vice minister of environment agreed that progress on pledges to cap temperature waring needed to be in a final document.

"I think that it's time for us just to deliver and especially keep the 1.5 (Celsius goal)," Stufkens said.

___ European officials insisted Saturday that a deal at UN climate talks should include a commitment to keep the 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) target of the 2015 Paris agreement alive.

"We need to get a deal on 1.5 degrees. We need strong wording on mitigation and that's what we're going to push," said Ireland's Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan, who is also the European lead negotiator on loss and damage. Mitigation is climate-speak for cutting emissions.

German climate envoy Jennifer Morgan also called for keeping the "1.5 degree in sight," to be able to "to keep the losses and the damages in check." Romina Pourmokhtari, Sweden's climate minister added that "science says that we're in a rush and that has to be represented in the negotiations that we have."