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While dawn was breaking the Amazonian city of Belém on Saturday morning, negotiators remained stuck in a airless conference room, unaware whether it was day or night. Having spent 12 hours in tense discussions, with scores ministers representing various coalitions of countries including the least developed nations to the most developed economies.

Tempers were short, the air thick as exhausted delegates faced up to the sobering reality: they would not reach a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The 30th UN climate conference faced the brink of abject failure.

The central impasse: Fossil fuels

As science has told us for well over a century, the greenhouse gases produced by consuming fossil fuels is increasing temperatures on our planet to critical levels.

However, during more than three decades of yearly climate meetings, the essential necessity to halt fossil fuel use has been addressed only once – in a resolution made two years ago at the Dubai climate summit to "move beyond fossil fuels". Representatives from the Arab Group, Russia, and multiple other countries were determined this would not be repeated.

Growing momentum for change

Meanwhile, a expanding group of countries were similarly resolved that advancement on this issue was crucially important. They had developed a proposal that was earning expanding support and made it apparent they were prepared to stand their ground.

Emerging economies desperately wanted to advance on securing financial assistance to help them cope with the already disastrous impacts of environmental crises.

Breaking point

In the pre-dawn period of Saturday, some delegates were prepared to withdraw and trigger failure. "We were close for us," remarked one national delegate. "I considered to walk away."

The pivotal moment came through discussions with Saudi Arabia. Near 6am, principal delegates separated from the main group to hold a private conversation with the lead Saudi negotiator. They encouraged language that would indirectly acknowledge the global commitment to "shift from fossil fuels" made two years earlier in Dubai.

Surprising consensus

Rather than explicitly mentioning fossil fuels, the text would refer to "the previous commitment". Upon deliberation, the Saudi delegation unexpectedly accepted the wording.

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

With what became known as the "Amazon accord", the world took an incremental move towards the gradual elimination of fossil fuels – a hesitant, inadequate step that will minimally impact the climate's steady march towards disaster. But nevertheless a significant departure from total inaction.

Key elements of the agreement

• Alongside the indirect reference in the official document, countries will start developing a roadmap to systematically reduce fossil fuels
• This will be mostly a optional undertaking led by Brazil that will provide updates next year
• Addressing the necessary cuts in greenhouse gas emissions to remain below the 1.5C limit was similarly postponed to next year
• Developing countries secured a significant expansion to $120bn of regular financial support to help them cope with the impacts of climate disasters
• This funding will not be fully available until 2035
• Workers will benefit from a "equitable change process" to help people working in fossil fuel sectors move toward the clean economy

Mixed reactions

As the world approaches the brink of climate "tipping points" that could eliminate habitats and throw whole regions into disorder, the agreement was far from the "major breakthrough" needed.

"Negotiators delivered some modest progress in the right direction, but in light of the magnitude of the climate crisis, it has fallen short of the occasion," cautioned one policy director.

This limited deal might have been the best attainable, given the geopolitical headwinds – including a American leader who ignored the talks and remains committed to oil and coal, the growing influence of nationalist politics, ongoing conflicts in various areas, extreme measures of inequality, and global economic instability.

"Major polluters – the energy conglomerates – were finally in the crosshairs at these negotiations," comments one environmental advocate. "There is no turning back on that. The opportunity is open. Now we must turn it into a genuine solution to a more secure planet."

Deep fissures revealed

While nations were able to applaud the official adoption of the deal, Cop30 also revealed major disagreements in the primary worldwide framework for confronting the climate crisis.

"UN negotiations are agreement-dependent, and in a time of international tensions, consensus is ever harder to reach," stated one global leader. "We should not suggest that these talks has delivered everything that is needed. The difference between present circumstances and what science demands remains alarmingly large."

When the world is to prevent the most severe impacts of climate collapse, the UN climate talks alone will not be nearly enough.