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As dawn crept over the Amazonian city of Belém on Saturday morning, representatives remained confined in a windowless conference room, oblivious whether it was day or night. They had been 12 hours in difficult discussions, with numerous ministers representing multiple blocs of countries ranging from the most vulnerable nations to the richest economies.

Frustration mounted, the air heavy as weary delegates confronted the harsh reality: they would not reach a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The latest global climate summit teetered on the brink of complete breakdown.

The sticking point: Fossil fuels

Research has demonstrated for nearly a century, the CO2 emissions produced by consuming fossil fuels is warming our planet to alarming levels.

However, during over three decades of yearly climate meetings, the essential necessity to cease fossil fuel use has been mentioned only once – in a resolution made two years ago at the Dubai climate summit to "move beyond fossil fuels". Officials from the Arab Group, Russia, and a few other countries were determined this would not occur another time.

Mounting support for change

Simultaneously, a expanding group of countries were equally determined that progress on this issue was vitally needed. They had developed a initiative that was earning growing support and made it evident they were willing to dig in.

Emerging economies urgently needed to make progress on securing funding support to help them cope with the increasingly severe impacts of environmental crises.

Critical moment

During the night of Saturday, some delegates were ready to leave and trigger failure. "We were close for us," commented one national delegate. "I considered to walk away."

The breakthrough happened through discussions with Saudi Arabia. Around 6am, principal delegates left the main group to hold a closed-door meeting with the lead Saudi negotiator. They pressed wording that would obliquely recognise the global commitment to "shift from fossil fuels" made two years earlier in Dubai.

Unexpected agreement

Instead of explicitly referencing fossil fuels, the text would refer to "the previous commitment". Upon deliberation, the Saudi delegation unexpectedly agreed to the wording.

Participants expressed relief. Celebrations began. The settlement was finalized.

With what became known as the "Brazil agreement", the world took an incremental move towards the phaseout of fossil fuels – a hesitant, insufficient step that will scarcely affect the climate's continued progression towards crisis. But nevertheless a notable change from total inaction.

Key elements of the agreement

• Alongside the subtle acknowledgment in the formal agreement, countries will commence creating a plan to phase out fossil fuels
• This will be primarily a non-binding program led by Brazil that will deliver findings next year
• Addressing the required reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to remain below the 1.5C limit was similarly postponed to next year
• Developing countries achieved a tripling to $120bn of regular financial support to help them manage the impacts of extreme weather
• This amount will not be delivered in full until 2035
• Workers will benefit from a "just transition mechanism" to help people working in high-carbon industries transition to the sustainable sector

Varied responses

As the world approaches the brink of climate "irreversible changes" that could devastate environments and throw whole regions into chaos, the agreement was far from the "significant advancement" needed.

"Negotiators delivered some modest progress in the correct path, but considering the scale of the climate crisis, it has not met the occasion," stated one climate expert.

This flawed deal might have been all that was possible, given the international tensions – including a US president who shunned the talks and remains wedded to oil and coal, the growing influence of nationalist politics, ongoing conflicts in different locations, unacceptable degrees of inequality, and global economic instability.

"Fossil fuel corporations – the oil and gas companies – were at last in the focus at Cop30," comments one policy convener. "There is no turning back on that. The political space is available. Now we must transform it into a genuine solution to a protected environment."

Significant divisions revealed

Even as nations were able to celebrate the official adoption of the deal, Cop30 also revealed significant divisions in the sole international mechanism for tackling the climate crisis.

"International summits are unanimity-required, and in a time of global disagreements, consensus is increasingly difficult to reach," stated one global leader. "It would be dishonest to claim that this summit has provided all that is needed. The disparity between our current position and what evidence necessitates remains dangerously wide."

If the world is to avert the most severe impacts of climate breakdown, the UN climate talks alone will fall far short.