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As dawn was breaking the Amazonian city of Belém on Saturday morning, delegates remained confined in a enclosed conference room, uncertain whether it was day or night. For more than 12 hours in strained discussions, with scores ministers representing 17 groups of countries ranging from the poorest nations to the most developed economies.

Tempers were short, the air stifling as weary delegates faced up to the grim reality: they were unlikely to achieve a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The latest global climate summit hovered near the brink of total collapse.

The sticking point: Fossil fuels

Scientific evidence has shown for more than a century, the greenhouse gases produced by consuming fossil fuels is warming our planet to critical levels.

However, during nearly three decades of yearly climate meetings, the urgent need to cease fossil fuel use has been mentioned only once – in a agreement made two years ago at previous UN climate talks to "transition away from fossil fuels". Officials from the Gulf states, Russia, and multiple other countries were adamant this would not happen again.

Mounting support for change

At the same time, a growing number of countries were just as committed that movement on this issue was vitally needed. They had formulated a proposal that was gathering growing support and made it clear they were ready to hold firm.

Emerging economies desperately wanted to move forward on securing economic resources to help them address the growing impacts of environmental crises.

Breaking point

In the pre-dawn period of Saturday, some delegates were ready to walk out and trigger failure. "It was on the edge for us," stated one energy minister. "I considered to walk away."

The pivotal moment happened through discussions with Saudi Arabia. Shortly after 6am, key negotiators split from the main group to hold a confidential discussion with the chief Saudi negotiator. They encouraged wording that would obliquely recognise the global commitment to "move beyond fossil fuels" made two years earlier in Dubai.

Surprising consensus

Instead of explicitly mentioning fossil fuels, the text would refer to "the UAE consensus". Upon deliberation, the Saudi delegation unforeseeably approved the wording.

Participants showed visible relief. Celebrations began. The agreement was completed.

With what became known as the "Brazil agreement", the world took a modest advance towards the systematic reduction of fossil fuels – a faltering, inadequate step that will scarcely affect the climate's steady march towards catastrophe. But nevertheless a significant departure from complete stagnation.

Important aspects of the agreement

• Complementing the subtle acknowledgment in the formal agreement, countries will start developing a roadmap to gradually eliminate fossil fuels
• This will be mostly a non-binding program led by Brazil that will deliver findings next year
• Addressing the essential decreases in greenhouse gas emissions to not exceed the 1.5C limit was also put off to next year
• Developing countries secured a tripling to $120bn of yearly funding to help them cope with the impacts of climate disasters
• This sum will not be fully available until 2035
• Workers will benefit from a "equitable change process" to help people working in fossil fuel sectors shift to the sustainable sector

Varied responses

While our planet hovers near the brink of climate "irreversible changes" that could devastate environments and force whole regions into disorder, the agreement was insufficient as the "significant advancement" needed.

"Negotiators delivered some modest progress in the proper course, but considering the severity of the climate crisis, it has fallen short of the occasion," stated one policy director.

This imperfect deal might have been the maximum achievable, given the political challenges – including a US president who ignored the talks and remains aligned with oil and coal, the growing influence of conservative movements, persistent fighting in various areas, intolerable levels of inequality, and global economic instability.

"Fossil fuel corporations – the energy conglomerates – were finally in the focus at Cop30," says one climate activist. "This represents progress on that. The platform is accessible. Now we must convert it to a actual pathway to a protected environment."

Significant divisions revealed

While nations were able to celebrate the gavelling through of the deal, Cop30 also highlighted deep fissures in the sole international mechanism for tackling the climate crisis.

"International summits are unanimity-required, and in a period of geopolitical divides, unanimity is increasingly difficult to reach," stated one senior UN official. "It would be dishonest to claim that this summit has provided all that is needed. The gap between our current position and what science demands remains dangerously wide."

If the world is to avoid the worst ravages of climate collapse, the international negotiations alone will not be nearly enough.