The UN summit ended with a landmark deal on funding to help vulnerable countries cope with devastating climate impacts, but also anger over a failure to be more ambitious on cutting emissions.
The two-week talks in Egypt's Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, which at times seemed to teeter on the verge of collapse, delivered a major breakthrough on a fund for climate "loss and damage".
The voice of the vulnerable was responded to by the COP 27.
She said that the journey has achieved its first positive milestone.
Tired delegates applauded when the fund was adopted as the sun came up.
The jubilation over that achievement was counterbalanced by warnings.
The talks had taken an important step towards justice with the loss and damage fund, but fell short in pushing for the urgent carbon-cutting needed to tackle global warming, according to the UN chief.
The world is still in the emergency room. The issue of emissions reduction was not addressed by the COP.
The British Prime Minister warned that "more must be done", while the French President proposed a new financial pact for vulnerable nations.
The aspirational goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial levels was held to be fulfilled by the final COP 27 statement.
It included language on renewable energy for the first time, as well as repeating calls to phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies.
The decision from last year's COP26 meeting in Glasgow did not go much further than that.
Frans Timmermans said that more than 80 nations had backed a stronger emissions pledge.
"What we have in front of us doesn't give us enough added efforts from major emitters to increase and accelerate their emission cuts," said Timmermans, who had threatened to walk out of the talks.
The passage on energy was weakened in the final minutes, according to Britain's Alok Sharma.
A number of large emitters and oil producers stonewalled the emissions cuts and fossil fuel phase-out, according to the German foreign minister.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry was criticized by some delegations for a lack of transparency during negotiations, but he said that he worked to avoid any backlash.
During the talks, the deal on loss and damage gained traction.
Developing nations relentlessly pushed for the fund, eventually getting the backing of wealthy polluters who were afraid of open-ended liability.
The Alliance of Small Island States said the loss and damage deal was historic.
The chair of AOSIS said that the agreements made at COP 27 are a win for everyone.
We show those who have felt neglected that we hear them, we see them, and we give them the respect and care they deserve.
The world has seen a cascade of climate-driven extremes, shining a spotlight on the plight of developing countries faced with escalating disasters, as well as an energy and food price crisis and ballooning debt.
The fund will be geared towards developing nations that are vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.
To broaden the funder base, the Europeans wanted to code for China and other better off countries.
The final loss and damage text left a lot of thornier questions to be dealt with by a transitional committee, which will report to next year's climate meeting.
The agreement doesn't provide for liability or compensation but the fund will focus on what can be done now to support loss and damage resources.
The world is off track and heading for 2.5 degrees Celsius under current commitments and plans, and scientists say limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius is a better way to protect the environment.
Mary Robinson is a former president of Ireland and chair of The Elders.
The renewed commitment on the global warming limit was a source of relief. The world is still on the verge of climate catastrophe despite this.
Agence France- Presse.
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