Summary

  • A two-week UN summit in Paris has agreed the first climate deal to commit all countries to cut emissions

  • The international agreement was gavelled through by French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius to claps and cheers

  • More than 190 countries had been working on the pact for four years after earlier attempts to reach such a deal failed

  • Negotiations ran into the small hours for three consecutive nights in order to hammer out the final draft

Live Reporting

Jonathan Webb, Matt McGrath, Helen Briggs and Mark Kinver

  1. Global voices in London

    Claire Marshall
    Environment correspondent, BBC News

    Testimonies from two marchers today have been particularly poignant.

    Mickaele Maiava is from Tokelau, a territory of New Zealand, which consists of a collection of coral atolls. Its geography puts it at sea level, and the rise in sea level is rendering the land where Mickaele plants crops useless - it is now poisoned by the salt water.

    Wearing a traditional head dress, his hands covered in tattoos, he said his people had been shouting about climate change for years. He feels angry, but now more hopeful that action will finally be taken.

    Another woman, dressed in a polar bear suit, was from southern France. Lea had wanted to go the march in Paris - but security concerns meant it was cancelled. She said life has to go on; you can't live in fear.

    view of crowded street in WestminsterGetty Images

    Thousands joined the protest in London

  2. Tear gas in Paris

    The scuffles in Paris took place shortly after the human chain demonstration, near the Place de la Republique.

    Reuters said that a group of about 200 protesters clashed with riot police, who fired tear gas. Some wore masks and carried banners calling for defence of democracy as well as the climate.

    Protester kicking a tear gas canisterREUTERS
    Riot police with shieldsAFP

  3. Thousands turn out in London

    There is a big march underway through the UK's capital and BBC environment correspondent Claire Marshall is there.

  4. 'Professionally upbeat'

    David Shukman
    Science editor, BBC News

    If you’re in the top job at the United Nations, you need to be professionally upbeat and Ban Ki-moon has always looked on the bright side of the grinding negotiations on climate change.

    In an interview this afternoon, he conceded that the process has been dragging.

    "We have been discussing this for more than 20 years," he said.

    But he also stressed that he now sees "encouraging signs”. So when I asked him about his hopes for the talks, he came out with a sunny perspective.

    I have been meeting many world leaders and raising my voice and I am optimistic that there will be an ambitious and robust and universal agreement and I think that all the stars are aligning in one direction.

    Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General

    We were speaking at UN headquarters with a spectacular view over the city and the Secretary-General said his thoughts were with the families of the victims of the terrorist attacks just over two weeks ago.

    Ban Ki-moon speaking to David ShukmanTwitter: @UN_Spokesperson

  5. Aussie climate angels in Paris

    Climate change demonstrators from Australia brought messages from school children to the streets of the French capital. 

    "P.S. The polar bears are waiting," concluded one letter they read out.

    activists dressed as angels
    activists dressed as angels

  6. Human chain snakes across Paris

    Earlier in Paris, activists joined arms in a peaceful "human chain". Environmental campaign group 350.org said there were 10,000 people involved in the line - stretching from the Oberkampf metro station, near Place de Republique, past the Bataclan theater and down to Place de la Nation.

    Demonstrators line a boulevard with linked handsAFP
    The human chain crosses the Place de la NationAFP

  7. More on the scuffles in Paris

    Joe Ware from Christian Aid was at the climate demonstration in the centre of Paris when scuffling broke out. 

    There were flares being set off, and at one point there were a couple of loud bangs, and shortly after that one group of riot police started running towards the protestors. The protestors were mainly French, all the signs were in French, they looked like French polticial protestors. It looked like there were hundreds, rather than thousands.

    Joe Ware, Christian Aid

  8. Determined protesters

    In Paris, where marches were banned in the wake of recent terrorist attacks, a small group of determined protesters clashed with riot police.

    Riot police clash with protestersREUTERS
    Riot police setting off tear gasREUTERS

  9. Marches around the world

    More than 2,000 events were planned across the globe this weekend, urging the ministers in Paris to take action.

    Jeremy Corbyn and Vivienne Westwood with protestersReuters

    Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn and fashion designer Vivienne Westwood attended a march in London

    climate march in Berlin with flags and bannersEPA

    A rally took to the streets of Berlin, Germany

  10. Commonwealth calls for 'ambitious, binding' deal

    At the Commonwealth heads of government meeting (CHOGM) in Valetta, Malta, a joint statement from the 53-nation organisation highlighted the threat of climate change to their members.   

    "Many of our most vulnerable states and communities are already facing the adverse impacts of climate change ... (and) for some it represents an existential threat." 

    The talks in Paris should produce a deal that was "an ambitious, equitable, inclusive, rules-based and durable outcome ... that includes a legally binding agreement."

  11. Shoes from the Pope

    Among 11,000 pairs of shoes that were laid out at the Place de la Republique, there were several - specially delivered amid a scrum of cameras - representing the Vatican.

    This "marching shoes" installation took the place of a huge climate march, which was cancelled due to security concerns.

    shoes from the Pope on the pavement at the Place de la Republique
    rows of shoes on the Place de la Republique

  12. Security still the main issue at COP21

    Matt McGrath
    Environment correspondent, BBC News

    Like many delegates, journalists from all over the world are here in the conference centre this afternoon getting to grips with the huge tent that's been built here at Le Bourget for COP21.

    Despite the best efforts of the organisers to move the agenda onto issues of global warming and emissions, questions of security are still impacting this huge event - naturally enough.

    With 147 world leaders coming to this site tomorrow, roads are now being closed and armed patrols are visible all over the city and around this meeting. 

    Environmentalists are hoping that all these reminders of the recent atrocities will enhance co-operation among the leaders and their willingness to make a deal. 

  13. Hello, Paris

    Welcome to the BBC's COP21 live page, where you will be able to read the latest updates from the UN climate summit in Paris. 

    Our coverage will commence on the afternoon of Sunday 29th November, the eve of the official conference opening.

    In the meantime, brush up on climate change and how these negotiations work on our special report page, bbc.co.uk/climatechange

    And read Matt McGrath's explainer on what COP21 might achieve.

    Paris cop21Getty Images

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