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While dawn was breaking the Amazonian city of Belém on Saturday morning, representatives remained confined in a airless conference room, unaware whether it was day or night. For more than 12 hours in tense discussions, with scores ministers representing 17 groups of countries including the most vulnerable nations to the richest economies.

Frustration mounted, the air thick as weary delegates acknowledged the harsh reality: they would not reach a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The 30th UN climate conference faced the brink of complete breakdown.

The sticking point: Fossil fuels

As science has told us for nearly a century, the carbon dioxide produced by utilizing fossil fuels is increasing temperatures on our planet to alarming levels.

Nevertheless, during over three decades of yearly climate meetings, the essential necessity to stop fossil fuel use has been referenced only once – in a decision made two years ago at the Dubai climate summit to "transition away from fossil fuels". Representatives from the Middle Eastern nations, Russia, and multiple other countries were resolved this would not be repeated.

Growing momentum for change

At the same time, a expanding group of countries were similarly resolved that progress on this issue was urgently necessary. They had created a initiative that was gathering expanding support and made it evident they were ready to dig in.

Developing countries desperately wanted to make progress on securing funding support to help them manage the growing impacts of climate disasters.

Breaking point

By the early hours of Saturday, some delegates were willing to walk out and force a collapse. "It was on the edge for us," remarked one national delegate. "I was prepared to walk away."

The breakthrough came through talks with Saudi Arabia. Near 6am, principal delegates split from the main group to hold a private conversation with the chief Saudi negotiator. They urged wording that would indirectly acknowledge the global commitment to "move beyond fossil fuels" made two years earlier in Dubai.

Surprising consensus

As opposed to explicitly mentioning fossil fuels, the text would refer to "the UAE consensus". Following reflection, the Saudi delegation surprisingly agreed to the wording.

Participants collapsed into relief. Cheers erupted. The settlement was completed.

With what became known as the "Brazil agreement", the world took an incremental move towards the systematic reduction of fossil fuels – a faltering, inadequate step that will minimally impact the climate's steady march towards crisis. But nevertheless a significant departure from total inaction.

Major components of the agreement

• In addition to the subtle acknowledgment in the formal agreement, countries will start developing a roadmap to phase out fossil fuels
• This will be primarily a optional undertaking led by Brazil that will report back next year
• Addressing the essential decreases in greenhouse gas emissions to stay within the 1.5C limit was similarly postponed to next year
• Developing countries obtained a threefold increase to $120bn of yearly funding to help them adapt to the impacts of climate disasters
• This amount will not be delivered in full until 2035
• Workers will benefit from a "fair adjustment program" to help people working in high-carbon industries move toward the sustainable sector

Mixed reactions

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

"Cop30 gave us some small advances in the right direction, but considering the magnitude of the climate crisis, it has not met the occasion," stated one policy director.

This imperfect deal might have been all that was possible, given the geopolitical headwinds – including a US president who shunned the talks and remains aligned with oil and coal, the increasing presence of nationalist politics, persistent fighting in different locations, intolerable levels of inequality, and global economic volatility.

"Fossil fuel corporations – the energy conglomerates – were at last in the focus at these negotiations," comments one climate activist. "We have crossed a threshold on that. The opportunity is accessible. Now we must turn it into a real fire escape to a more secure planet."

Major disagreements revealed

While nations were able to welcome the official adoption of the deal, Cop30 also exposed major disagreements in the only global process for confronting the climate crisis.

"UN negotiations are agreement-dependent, and in a period of global disagreements, agreement is increasingly difficult to reach," commented one international diplomat. "It would be dishonest to claim that this summit has provided all that is needed. The difference between present circumstances and what science demands remains alarmingly large."

When the world is to avert the worst ravages of climate breakdown, the global discussions alone will not be nearly enough.