Dear Jim,

The endgame approaches. Negotiators at the UN climate talks in Paris now have just hours left to find a global consensus on a new climate change deal. Despite the REMAINING STICKING POINTS the mood is still upbeat for a deal. The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said on Friday that he was “ENCOURAGED” BY PROGRESS.

” I have been attending many difficult multilateral negotiations, but by any standard, this negotiation is most complicated, most difficult, but most important for humanity . . . I am urging and appealing to all the state parties to take the final decision for humanity. ”

Our team of reporters at the summit are feeding into a live blog which will run throughout today. You can READ LIVE UPDATES HERE.

Yours Sincerely,
James Randerson, assistant national news editor

Friday’s reading list:

*__PARIS DEAL IS ‘CLOSE TO THE LINE’ BUT TALKS SET TO OVERRUN

*__NEW DRAFT TEXT OF THE DEAL CUTS THROUGH KEY STICKING POINTS

*__VIDEO: THE AMAZONIAN TRIBESPEOPLE WHO SAILED DOWN THE SEINE

*__PODCAST: CLIMATE TALKS TURN UP THE HEAT ON WORLD LEADERS