Cop16 nature summit agrees deal at 11th hour but critics say it is not enough

UN biodiversity conference in Rome ends with fragile accord but questions remain over whether funding will emerge

The task of halting nature loss by 2030 is slipping out of reach, ministers have warned, as countries from around the world came to a hard-won compromise on nature finance after marathon negotiations in Rome.

Delegates at the UN biodiversity conference - known as Cop16 - broke into applause after finally reaching a deal in the Eternal City following a night of tense and painstaking discussions. Cop16 president Susana Muhamad wept as she brought down the gavel on the agreement outlining a roadmap for nature finance. The agreement broke a deadlock at UN talks seen as a test for international cooperation in the face of geopolitical tensions.