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When dawn illuminated the Amazonian city of Belém on Saturday morning, negotiators remained stuck in a enclosed conference room, uncertain whether it was day or night. They had been 12 hours in strained discussions, with numerous ministers representing 17 groups of countries including the least developed nations to the richest economies.

Patience wore thin, the air heavy as exhausted delegates confronted the grim reality: they would not reach a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The latest global climate summit hovered near the brink of abject failure.

The central impasse: Fossil fuels

As science has told us for nearly a century, the greenhouse gases produced by utilizing fossil fuels is heating up our planet to critical levels.

Nevertheless, during over three decades of regular climate meetings, the crucial requirement to stop fossil fuel use has been referenced only once – in a agreement made two years ago at the Dubai climate summit to "move beyond fossil fuels". Delegates from the Arab Group, Russia, and a few other countries were determined this would not be repeated.

Increasing pressure for change

At the same time, a growing number of countries were just as committed that progress on this issue was urgently necessary. They had formulated a proposal that was earning increasing support and made it apparent they were prepared to hold firm.

Developing countries urgently needed to advance on securing funding support to help them cope with the growing impacts of climate disasters.

Critical moment

By the early hours of Saturday, some delegates were ready to withdraw and force a collapse. "The situation was precarious for us," stated one government representative. "I was prepared to walk away."

The breakthrough happened through negotiations with Saudi Arabia. Around 6am, senior representatives left the main group to hold a closed-door meeting with the chief Saudi negotiator. They urged text that would obliquely recognise the global commitment to "transition away from fossil fuels" made two years earlier in Dubai.

Unanticipated resolution

Instead of explicitly mentioning fossil fuels, the text would refer to "the previous commitment". Following reflection, the Saudi delegation surprisingly accepted the wording.

The room expressed relief. Celebrations began. The deal was finalized.

With what became known as the "Brazil agreement", the world took an incremental move towards the phaseout of fossil fuels – a uncertain, limited step that will scarcely affect the climate's steady march towards crisis. But nevertheless a significant departure from total inaction.

Major components of the agreement

• Alongside the indirect reference in the official document, countries will commence creating a roadmap to systematically reduce fossil fuels
• This will be mostly a voluntary initiative led by Brazil that will deliver findings next year
• Addressing the necessary cuts in greenhouse gas emissions to stay within the 1.5C limit was similarly postponed to next year
• Developing countries secured a threefold increase to $120bn of yearly funding to help them cope with the impacts of extreme weather
• This amount will not be fully available until 2035
• Workers will benefit from a "fair adjustment program" to help people working in high-carbon industries transition to the renewable industry

Varied responses

As the world hovers near the brink of climate "critical thresholds" that could destroy ecosystems and throw whole regions into chaos, the agreement was not the "major breakthrough" needed.

"Negotiators delivered some small advances in the proper course, but in light of the magnitude of the climate crisis, it has fallen short of the occasion," cautioned one climate expert.

This flawed deal might have been the best attainable, given the political challenges – including a Washington administration who shunned the talks and remains wedded to oil and coal, the growing influence of rightwing populism, ongoing conflicts in various areas, intolerable levels of inequality, and global economic volatility.

"Fossil fuel corporations – the fossil fuel giants – were finally in the focus at these negotiations," notes one environmental advocate. "This represents progress on that. The political space is accessible. Now we must convert it to a genuine solution to a more secure planet."

Major disagreements revealed

Although nations were able to welcome the official adoption of the deal, Cop30 also revealed major disagreements in the sole international mechanism for confronting the climate crisis.

"UN negotiations are consensus-based, and in a era of international tensions, agreement is ever harder to reach," commented one international diplomat. "I cannot pretend that this summit has achieved complete success that is needed. The disparity between where we are and what evidence necessitates remains concerningly substantial."

When the world is to avoid the gravest consequences of climate breakdown, the UN climate talks alone will not be nearly enough.