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While dawn was breaking the Amazonian city of Belém on Saturday morning, negotiators remained confined in a airless conference room, oblivious whether it was day or night. For more than 12 hours in strained discussions, with numerous ministers representing various coalitions of countries ranging from the least developed nations to the wealthiest economies.

Tempers were short, the air heavy as exhausted delegates confronted the grim reality: they were unlikely to achieve a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The latest global climate summit teetered on the brink of complete breakdown.

The sticking point: Fossil fuels

Research has demonstrated for more than a century, the carbon dioxide produced by burning fossil fuels is warming our planet to critical levels.

However, during more than three decades of yearly climate meetings, the urgent need to stop fossil fuel use has been mentioned only once – in a resolution made two years ago at the Dubai climate summit to "move beyond fossil fuels". Representatives from the Middle Eastern nations, Russia, and a few other countries were determined this would not occur another time.

Increasing pressure for change

Meanwhile, a growing number of countries were just as committed that advancement on this issue was vitally needed. They had formulated a plan that was attracting increasing support and made it apparent they were ready to dig in.

Emerging economies strongly sought to make progress on securing economic resources to help them cope with the already disastrous impacts of climate disasters.

Breaking point

In the pre-dawn period of Saturday, some delegates were ready to walk out and cause breakdown. "We were close for us," stated one energy minister. "I considered to walk away."

The critical development came through talks with Saudi Arabia. Shortly after 6am, key negotiators left the main group to hold a closed-door meeting with the chief Saudi negotiator. They encouraged wording that would obliquely recognise the global commitment to "move beyond fossil fuels" made two years earlier in Dubai.

Unexpected agreement

Rather than explicitly mentioning fossil fuels, the text would refer to "the previous commitment". Following reflection, the Saudi delegation unexpectedly agreed to the wording.

Delegates showed visible relief. Celebrations began. The settlement was completed.

With what became known as the "Brazil agreement", the world took a modest advance towards the systematic reduction of fossil fuels – a faltering, inadequate step that will barely interrupt the climate's ongoing trajectory towards catastrophe. But nevertheless a important shift from absolute paralysis.

Key elements of the agreement

• Complementing the oblique commitment in the formal agreement, countries will begin work a plan to phase out fossil fuels
• This will be mostly a optional undertaking led by Brazil that will deliver findings next year
• Addressing the essential decreases 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 annual finance to help them manage the impacts of extreme weather
• This sum will not be fully available until 2035
• Workers will benefit from a "just transition mechanism" to help people working in polluting businesses move toward the renewable industry

Differing opinions

With global conditions teeters on the brink of climate "critical thresholds" that could eliminate habitats and force whole regions into chaos, the agreement was far from the "major breakthrough" needed.

"Negotiators delivered some modest progress in the correct path, but in light of the scale of the climate crisis, it has fallen short of the occasion," warned one environmental analyst.

This flawed deal might have been the best attainable, given the political challenges – including a US president who ignored the talks and remains committed to oil and coal, the rising tide of nationalist politics, ongoing conflicts in different locations, intolerable levels of inequality, and global economic volatility.

"Major polluters – the fossil fuel giants – were at last in the focus at Cop30," notes one climate activist. "There is no turning back on that. The opportunity is accessible. Now we must turn it into a actual pathway to a safer world."

Significant divisions revealed

While nations were able to celebrate the official adoption of the deal, Cop30 also exposed significant divisions in the primary worldwide framework for addressing the climate crisis.

"UN negotiations are unanimity-required, and in a era of global disagreements, agreement is increasingly difficult to reach," observed one senior UN official. "I cannot pretend that these talks has provided all that is needed. The difference between present circumstances and what research requires remains concerningly substantial."

Should the world is to prevent the most severe impacts of climate collapse, the UN climate talks alone will prove insufficient.