SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt, Nov 19 — Sameh Shoukry, president of the COP27 climate summit, told the nearly 200 nations gathered in Egypt to "rise to the occasion” on Saturday as the success of the conference hung in the balance.

Speaking a day after the summit was supposed to end, Shoukry added he knew there was a lot of "dissatisfaction” among all parties, but called on nations to show determination to reach a consensus.

"The issue now rests with the will of the parties. It is the parties who must rise to the occasion and take upon themselves the responsibility of finding the areas of convergence,” he said.

A final text to conclude the summit has yet to be agreed with outstanding issues including whether a new fund would be created to help nations with the damage wrought by climate change and whether to call for a phase down of all fossil fuels.

"The (draft) text does keep the 1.5 alive,” Shoukry said referring to an aim, already enshrined by previous climate summits, to keep global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. — Reuters