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While dawn crept over the Amazonian city of Belém on Saturday morning, representatives remained trapped in a enclosed conference room, oblivious whether it was day or night. For more than 12 hours in tense discussions, with numerous ministers representing multiple blocs of countries from the least developed nations to the richest economies.

Patience wore thin, the air thick as weary 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 major obstacle: Fossil fuels

Research has demonstrated for well over a century, the greenhouse gases produced by utilizing fossil fuels is warming our planet to critical levels.

However, during more than three decades of regular climate meetings, the urgent need to halt fossil fuel use has been referenced only once – in a resolution made two years ago at previous UN climate talks to "transition away from fossil fuels". Delegates from the Middle Eastern nations, Russia, and several other countries were resolved this would not happen again.

Growing momentum for change

Meanwhile, a growing number of countries were equally determined that movement on this issue was crucially important. They had created a plan that was attracting increasing support and made it apparent they were ready to dig in.

Developing countries strongly sought to move forward on securing funding support to help them address the already disastrous impacts of climate disasters.

Turning point

In the pre-dawn period of Saturday, some delegates were prepared to leave and force a collapse. "It was on the edge for us," stated one government representative. "I was prepared to walk away."

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

Unanticipated resolution

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

Delegates collapsed into relief. Applause rang out. The deal was done.

With what became known as the "Amazon accord", the world took another small step towards the gradual elimination of fossil fuels – a hesitant, inadequate step that will scarcely affect the climate's ongoing trajectory towards disaster. But nevertheless a significant departure from complete stagnation.

Important aspects of the agreement

• Complementing the oblique commitment in the legally agreed text, countries will commence creating a roadmap to gradually eliminate fossil fuels
• This will be primarily a voluntary initiative led by Brazil that will provide updates next year
• Addressing the necessary cuts in greenhouse gas emissions to not exceed the 1.5C limit was also put off to next year
• Developing countries obtained a tripling to $120bn of regular financial support to help them cope with the impacts of environmental crises
• This amount will not be fully available until 2035
• Workers will benefit from a "equitable change process" to help people working in polluting businesses shift to the renewable industry

Mixed reactions

While our planet approaches the brink of climate "tipping points" that could eliminate habitats and plunge whole regions into disorder, the agreement was far from the "giant leap" needed.

"Cop30 gave us some small advances in the right direction, but considering the severity of the climate crisis, it has fallen short of the occasion," stated one policy director.

This limited deal might have been the best attainable, given the political challenges – including a Washington administration who shunned the talks and remains aligned with oil and coal, the growing influence of conservative movements, persistent fighting in various areas, extreme measures of inequality, and global economic uncertainty.

"Major polluters – the fossil fuel giants – were finally in the spotlight at the climate summit," comments one environmental advocate. "We have crossed a threshold on that. The political space is accessible. Now we must convert it to a actual pathway to a protected environment."

Major disagreements revealed

Although nations were able to welcome the official adoption of the deal, Cop30 also revealed significant divisions in the only global process for addressing the climate crisis.

"Climate conferences are consensus-based, and in a period of geopolitical divides, agreement is increasingly difficult to reach," observed one senior UN official. "I cannot pretend that these talks has delivered everything that is needed. The gap between our current position and what science demands remains dangerously wide."

Should the world is to avoid the gravest consequences of climate collapse, the global discussions alone will not be nearly enough.