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While dawn was breaking the Amazonian city of Belém on Saturday morning, representatives remained trapped in a airless conference room, oblivious whether it was day or night. Having spent 12 hours in strained discussions, with numerous ministers representing various coalitions of countries from the poorest nations to the wealthiest economies.

Tempers were short, the air thick as exhausted delegates confronted the sobering reality: they would not reach a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The international climate negotiations teetered on the brink of abject failure.

The central impasse: Fossil fuels

Scientific evidence has shown for nearly a century, the greenhouse gases produced by consuming fossil fuels is warming our planet to alarming levels.

Nevertheless, during over three decades of yearly climate meetings, the essential necessity to cease fossil fuel use has been mentioned only once – in a decision made two years ago at previous UN climate talks to "move beyond fossil fuels". Officials from the Arab Group, Russia, and a few other countries were adamant this would not be repeated.

Increasing pressure for change

At the same time, a increasing coalition of countries were similarly resolved that movement on this issue was urgently necessary. They had created a initiative that was earning growing support and made it evident they were ready to hold firm.

Developing countries desperately wanted to make progress on securing economic resources to help them address the growing impacts of environmental crises.

Turning point

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

The pivotal moment happened through talks with Saudi Arabia. Around 6am, key negotiators separated from the main group to hold a private conversation with the lead Saudi negotiator. They pressed text that would indirectly acknowledge the global commitment to "move beyond fossil fuels" made two years earlier in Dubai.

Surprising consensus

Rather than explicitly referencing fossil fuels, the text would refer to "the UAE consensus". Following reflection, the Saudi delegation unexpectedly accepted the wording.

Delegates showed visible relief. Celebrations began. The deal was finalized.

With what became known as the "Brazil agreement", the world took an incremental move towards the gradual elimination of fossil fuels – a uncertain, limited step that will minimally impact the climate's continued progression towards catastrophe. But nevertheless a important shift from absolute paralysis.

Important aspects of the agreement

• Complementing the subtle acknowledgment in the official document, countries will start developing a plan to gradually eliminate fossil fuels
• This will be primarily a non-binding program led by Brazil that will provide updates next year
• Addressing the necessary cuts in greenhouse gas emissions to stay within the 1.5C limit was also put off to next year
• Developing countries secured a threefold increase to $120bn of yearly funding to help them manage the impacts of extreme weather
• This sum will not be delivered in full until 2035
• Workers will benefit from a "equitable change process" to help people working in polluting businesses transition to the renewable industry

Differing opinions

With global conditions hovers near the brink of climate "irreversible changes" that could destroy ecosystems and plunge whole regions into disorder, the agreement was not the "significant advancement" needed.

"The summit provided some baby steps in the right direction, but considering the scale of the climate crisis, it has failed to rise to the occasion," cautioned one climate expert.

This imperfect deal might have been the maximum achievable, given the geopolitical headwinds – including a US president who avoided the talks and remains wedded to oil and coal, the growing influence of conservative movements, ongoing conflicts in various areas, unacceptable degrees of inequality, and global economic volatility.

"Major polluters – the oil and gas companies – were finally in the focus at the climate summit," comments one climate activist. "We have crossed a threshold on that. The platform is available. Now we must turn it into a real fire escape to a more secure planet."

Significant divisions revealed

Even as nations were able to celebrate the formal approval of the deal, Cop30 also revealed deep fissures in the primary worldwide framework for tackling the climate crisis.

"International summits are agreement-dependent, and in a era of geopolitical divides, unanimity is ever harder to reach," observed one global leader. "It would be dishonest to claim that this summit has provided all that is needed. The disparity between present circumstances and what science demands remains concerningly substantial."

If the world is to avert the gravest consequences of climate crisis, the UN climate talks alone will not be nearly enough.