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While dawn was breaking the Amazonian city of Belém on Saturday morning, representatives remained confined in a enclosed conference room, oblivious whether it was day or night. Having spent 12 hours in difficult discussions, with scores ministers representing 17 groups of countries including the most vulnerable nations to the most developed economies.

Tempers were short, the air heavy as exhausted delegates acknowledged the grim reality: there would not be a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The 30th UN climate conference teetered on the brink of total collapse.

The central impasse: Fossil fuels

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

However, during nearly three decades of annual climate meetings, the essential necessity to stop fossil fuel use has been mentioned only once – in a decision made two years ago at Cop28 to "shift from fossil fuels". Officials from the Arab Group, Russia, and multiple other countries were resolved this would not happen again.

Growing momentum for change

At the same time, a expanding group of countries were equally determined that movement on this issue was urgently necessary. They had developed a proposal that was earning increasing support and made it apparent they were prepared to dig in.

Emerging economies desperately wanted to make progress on securing economic resources to help them cope with the increasingly severe impacts of climate disasters.

Breaking point

During the night of Saturday, some delegates were ready to leave and trigger failure. "It was on the edge for us," stated one national delegate. "I was prepared to walk away."

The breakthrough occurred through negotiations with Saudi Arabia. Shortly after 6am, senior representatives split from the main group to hold a private conversation with the chief Saudi negotiator. They encouraged language that would indirectly acknowledge the global commitment to "move beyond fossil fuels" made two years earlier in Dubai.

Unanticipated resolution

As opposed to explicitly namechecking fossil fuels, the text would refer to "the Dubai agreement". Upon deliberation, the Saudi delegation unexpectedly approved the wording.

The room collapsed into relief. Applause rang out. The deal was completed.

With what became known as the "Amazon accord", the world took another small step towards the phaseout of fossil fuels – a faltering, limited step that will minimally impact the climate's continued progression towards crisis. But nevertheless a significant departure from complete stagnation.

Major components of the agreement

• Alongside the oblique commitment in the official document, countries will commence creating a plan to systematically reduce fossil fuels
• This will be primarily a non-binding program led by Brazil that will deliver findings next year
• Addressing the required reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to remain below the 1.5C limit was also put off to next year
• Developing countries obtained a significant expansion to $120bn of regular financial support to help them cope with the impacts of climate disasters
• This amount will not be fully available until 2035
• Workers will benefit from a "just transition mechanism" to help people working in high-carbon industries move toward the sustainable sector

Varied responses

With global conditions approaches the brink of climate "critical thresholds" that could destroy ecosystems and force whole regions into disorder, the agreement was far from the "giant leap" needed.

"Negotiators delivered some modest progress in the proper course, but in light of the magnitude of the climate crisis, it has not met the occasion," stated one environmental analyst.

This limited deal might have been all that was possible, given the geopolitical headwinds – including a Washington administration who shunned the talks and remains committed to oil and coal, the increasing presence of conservative movements, persistent fighting in various areas, extreme measures of inequality, and global economic instability.

"Major polluters – the oil and gas companies – were ultimately in the spotlight at these negotiations," comments one policy convener. "This represents progress on that. The political space is accessible. Now we must turn it into a real fire escape to a more secure planet."

Deep fissures revealed

Although nations were able to celebrate the gavelling through of the deal, Cop30 also exposed significant divisions in the sole international mechanism for tackling the climate crisis.

"International summits are agreement-dependent, and in a period of global disagreements, agreement is progressively challenging to reach," stated one senior UN official. "We should not suggest that Cop30 has achieved complete success that is needed. The disparity between our current position and what research requires remains concerningly substantial."

If the world is to avert the worst ravages of climate crisis, the international negotiations alone will prove insufficient.