"As far as the Alliance of Small and Island States is concerned, we are quite happy," Thoriq Ibrahim said, stressing the importance of recognizing the goal of 1.5 degrees Celsius (34.7 degrees Fahrenheit) in the text.
Noting the progress achieved in resolving outstanding issues and trimming down the pact's text, Ibrahim reminded the absence of a 1.5-degree goal mentioned in the draft when the COP21 talks started on November 30.
"This is the beginning of a long road to go. So let's start now. There will be so many COPs in the future, so that we can have more action oriented endeavors," he added.
AOSIS is an intergovernmental organization of 44 low-lying coastal and small island countries.
The published 31-page draft calls on 195 nations to "pursue efforts" to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. It further asks the signatories to hold the increase of global average temperatures to "well below" 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
