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

Frustration mounted, the air thick as sweaty delegates acknowledged the grim reality: they were unlikely to achieve a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The international climate negotiations hovered near the brink of complete breakdown.

The sticking point: Fossil fuels

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

Nevertheless, during nearly three decades of annual climate meetings, the crucial requirement to halt fossil fuel use has been referenced only once – in a agreement made two years ago at the Dubai climate summit to "transition away from fossil fuels". Representatives from the Middle Eastern nations, Russia, and several other countries were determined this would not occur another time.

Growing momentum for change

Meanwhile, a increasing coalition of countries were just as committed that movement on this issue was vitally needed. They had developed a proposal that was earning expanding support and made it clear they were prepared to stand their ground.

Less wealthy nations urgently needed to advance on securing funding support to help them cope with the increasingly severe impacts of extreme weather.

Critical moment

In the pre-dawn period of Saturday, some delegates were willing to leave and trigger failure. "The situation was precarious for us," stated one national delegate. "I was ready to walk away."

The pivotal moment happened through discussions with Saudi Arabia. Around 6am, principal delegates separated from the main group to hold a private conversation with the lead Saudi negotiator. They pressed language that would obliquely recognise the global commitment to "move beyond fossil fuels" made two years earlier in Dubai.

Surprising consensus

Instead of explicitly namechecking fossil fuels, the text would refer to "the Dubai agreement". After consideration, the Saudi delegation surprisingly approved the wording.

Delegates collapsed into relief. Cheers erupted. The deal was done.

With what became known as the "Brazil agreement", the world took a modest advance towards the systematic reduction of fossil fuels – a uncertain, insufficient step that will minimally impact the climate's continued progression towards crisis. But nevertheless a notable change from absolute paralysis.

Major components of the agreement

• Complementing the subtle acknowledgment in the legally agreed text, countries will start developing a roadmap to phase out fossil fuels
• This will be largely a non-binding program led by Brazil that will report back next year
• Addressing the required reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to not exceed the 1.5C limit was also put off to next year
• Developing countries obtained a significant expansion to $120bn of regular financial support to help them adapt to the impacts of climate disasters
• This amount will not be fully available until 2035
• Workers will benefit from a "fair adjustment program" to help people working in polluting businesses shift to the sustainable sector

Differing opinions

With global conditions hovers near the brink of climate "tipping points" that could eliminate habitats and throw whole regions into crisis, the agreement was far from the "giant leap" needed.

"The summit provided some baby steps in the correct path, but considering the magnitude of the climate crisis, it has not met the occasion," stated one policy director.

This flawed deal might have been all that was possible, given the geopolitical headwinds – including a American leader who avoided the talks and remains aligned with oil and coal, the rising tide of conservative movements, continuing wars in different locations, extreme measures of inequality, and global economic instability.

"Major polluters – the fossil fuel giants – were ultimately in the focus at the climate summit," comments one environmental advocate. "There is no turning back on that. The opportunity is open. Now we must convert it to a real fire escape to a protected environment."

Major disagreements revealed

While nations were able to welcome the gavelling through of the deal, Cop30 also highlighted significant divisions in the sole international mechanism for tackling the climate crisis.

"Climate conferences are consensus-based, and in a time of geopolitical divides, consensus is progressively challenging to reach," observed one senior UN official. "It would be dishonest to claim that this summit has delivered everything that is needed. The gap between our current position and what research requires remains alarmingly large."

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