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While dawn crept over the Amazonian city of Belém on Saturday morning, delegates remained confined in a enclosed conference room, uncertain whether it was day or night. They had been 12 hours in tense discussions, with scores ministers representing multiple blocs of countries ranging from the most vulnerable nations to the wealthiest economies.

Tempers were short, the air heavy as weary delegates faced up to the sobering reality: there would not be a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The international climate negotiations teetered on the brink of abject failure.

The major obstacle: Fossil fuels

As science has told us for nearly a century, the CO2 emissions produced by burning fossil fuels is heating up our planet to alarming levels.

Yet, during over three decades of yearly climate meetings, the crucial requirement to stop fossil fuel use has been addressed only once – in a decision made two years ago at previous UN climate talks to "shift from fossil fuels". Delegates from the Middle Eastern nations, Russia, and several other countries were adamant this would not happen again.

Growing momentum for change

Meanwhile, a expanding group of countries were just as committed that advancement on this issue was urgently necessary. They had developed a proposal that was gathering growing support and made it clear they were willing to stand their ground.

Less wealthy nations urgently needed to make progress on securing funding support to help them address the already disastrous impacts of climate disasters.

Critical moment

By the early hours of Saturday, some delegates were prepared to walk out and force a collapse. "We were close for us," commented one energy minister. "I considered to walk away."

The critical development occurred through negotiations with Saudi Arabia. Near 6am, principal delegates left the main group to hold a closed-door meeting with the head Saudi negotiator. They pressed wording that would indirectly acknowledge the global commitment to "shift from fossil fuels" made two years earlier in Dubai.

Unanticipated resolution

Rather than explicitly referencing fossil fuels, the text would refer to "the Dubai agreement". Following reflection, the Saudi delegation unforeseeably approved the wording.

Delegates expressed relief. Applause rang out. The deal was completed.

With what became known as the "Amazon accord", the world took a modest advance towards the phaseout of fossil fuels – a hesitant, inadequate step that will minimally impact the climate's steady march towards crisis. But nevertheless a notable change from complete stagnation.

Important aspects of the agreement

• Alongside the oblique commitment in the official document, countries will commence creating a roadmap to gradually eliminate fossil fuels
• This will be largely a voluntary initiative led by Brazil that will deliver findings next year
• Addressing the necessary cuts 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 regular financial support to help them adapt to the impacts of climate disasters
• This sum will not be completely provided until 2035
• Workers will benefit from a "just transition mechanism" to help people working in fossil fuel sectors move toward the renewable industry

Varied responses

With global conditions approaches the brink of climate "critical thresholds" that could eliminate habitats and plunge whole regions into crisis, the agreement was insufficient as the "major breakthrough" needed.

"The summit provided some small advances in the right direction, but in light of the severity of the climate crisis, it has fallen short of the occasion," cautioned one environmental analyst.

This flawed deal might have been all that was possible, given the international tensions – including a American leader who ignored the talks and remains aligned with oil and coal, the increasing presence of nationalist politics, persistent fighting in various areas, extreme measures of inequality, and global economic volatility.

"Major polluters – the fossil fuel giants – were at last in the spotlight at Cop30," notes one environmental advocate. "There is no turning back on that. The political space is open. Now we must transform it into a genuine solution to a more secure planet."

Major disagreements revealed

Even as nations were able to celebrate the gavelling through of the deal, Cop30 also revealed major disagreements in the primary worldwide framework for tackling the climate crisis.

"UN negotiations are agreement-dependent, and in a era of global disagreements, consensus is progressively challenging to reach," commented one global leader. "We should not suggest that this summit has achieved complete success that is needed. The disparity between where we are and what science demands remains concerningly substantial."

Should the world is to avert the most severe impacts of climate breakdown, the UN climate talks alone will fall far short.