By Valerie Volcovici

GLASGOW, (Reuters) – It was almost a diplomatic tragedy.

Alok Sharma, president of U.N.’s climate conference in Scotland had called the last meeting of nearly 200 representatives to present the Glasgow Climate Pact. This agreement was meant to make sure the world has an opportunity to avoid the worst effects of global warming.

This moment was the result of months of hard work and weeks of negotiation. The historic moment was captured by delegates in the plenary room at COP26.

However, as the Envoys got ready to accept the accord, the unresolved issue over coal threatened the deal’s fate. The majority of those in the room didn’t even know about it.

China, India, and other developing nations rich in coal reserves were threatening to scupper the deal over language that asked governments to “phase out” their use of coal, a demand they considered unfair and damaging to their hopes of economic growth.

John Kerry, the U.S. special climate envoy had been in the room working and was informed of the matter while chatting to his Chinese counterpart Xie Zihenhua. A surprise declaration by Beijing promising to intensify its commitment to reducing emissions was made days earlier, boosting morale at summit.

“You’re supposed to be phasing out coal over the next 20 years, you just signed an agreement with us,” Kerry told Xie as they stood together in the buzzing plenary hall.

Xie replied through his translator: “We meant phase down.”

Moments later, while other countries delegations waited patiently for the plenary, Kerry, Xie and their counterparts in India and the European Union left the room and went to private meetings. About 30 minutes after they had finished their meeting, the three left.

When Xie returned he told a Reuters reporter that “we have a deal” and gave a thumbs up.

The deal was presented to the room in an awkward manner.

China and India intervened when Sharma had opened the meeting for the signing of the agreement. It was India that laid out their last-minute proposal: The coal “phase out” would become a “phase down”, said Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav.

Sharma stood at the podium and looked like he was going to cry. Sharma stood at the podium and apologized. The plenary then asked him if his proposal was okay.

Although there was much criticism from countries from Mexico to Switzerland, which were worried that a “phase out” could open up the doors to unlimited coal use, no one wanted to abandon Glasgow without a deal. It was so.

The dissatisfied representatives were given the opportunity to speak. Sharma then asked the plenary for support in passing the agreement. With no formal objections, he tap his hand to signal that it was passed.

Sharma answered reporters when asked about his emotional state on stage. He said that he had slept for six hours in the past three days. It is, however, emotional in that we collectively have accomplished what many doubted.

This was one of many compromises in an already complicated accord.

Kerry who was involved in the brokering of it said it was what held the Glasgow Climate Pact together. “If we hadn’t done that we wouldn’t have an agreement,” he told reporters.