Drama, dismay, triumph: nailbiting climax to the world’s biodiversity deal

Long years of complex negotiations led up to one critical moment for the planet at Cop15 in Montreal this week. For a time, it seemed all was lost. Here's what happened next...

Officially, this week's deal to preserve Earth's biodiversity passed at about 3.30am Eastern Standard Time on Monday 19 December, with a swift flick of the wrist from the Chinese Cop15 president, Huang Runqiu. But in spirit, the agreement was reached hours later - after frantic behind-the-scenes diplomatic efforts - with a symbolic apology.

Huang, China's environment minister, hammered through the text to rapturous applause, the traditional sign that a deal has been reached in a UN process. Yet, moments before, the plenary heard clear dissent from the Democratic Republic of the Congo's negotiator. Huang brought down the gavel anyway, seemingly ignoring the objection to the deal. He was challenged immediately. The negotiator from Cameroon called it a fraud", while Uganda said there had been a coup d'etat".