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As dawn was breaking the Amazonian city of Belém on Saturday morning, representatives remained stuck in a windowless conference room, uncertain whether it was day or night. They had been 12 hours in difficult discussions, with numerous ministers representing multiple blocs of countries including the poorest nations to the most developed economies.

Tempers were short, the air thick as weary delegates confronted the sobering reality: there would not be a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The latest global climate summit hovered near the brink of abject failure.

The major obstacle: Fossil fuels

As science has told us for more than a century, the carbon dioxide produced by consuming fossil fuels is heating up our planet to critical levels.

Nevertheless, during over three decades of annual climate meetings, the crucial requirement to halt fossil fuel use has been addressed only once – in a decision made two years ago at Cop28 to "move beyond fossil fuels". Delegates from the Gulf states, Russia, and multiple other countries were adamant this would not occur another time.

Growing momentum for change

At the same time, a growing number of countries were similarly resolved that progress on this issue was crucially important. They had formulated a initiative that was earning expanding support and made it evident they were willing to dig in.

Emerging economies strongly sought to make progress on securing funding support to help them cope with the increasingly severe impacts of environmental crises.

Breaking point

By the early hours of Saturday, some delegates were willing to walk out and force a collapse. "The situation was precarious for us," stated one government representative. "I was prepared to walk away."

The critical development came through talks with Saudi Arabia. Shortly after 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.

Unanticipated resolution

As opposed to explicitly namechecking fossil fuels, the text would refer to "the previous commitment". Upon deliberation, the Saudi delegation surprisingly approved the wording.

Delegates expressed relief. Cheers erupted. The agreement was finalized.

With what became known as the "Brazil agreement", the world took an incremental move towards the gradual elimination of fossil fuels – a faltering, insufficient step that will barely interrupt the climate's ongoing trajectory towards crisis. But nevertheless a notable change from total inaction.

Key elements of the agreement

• In addition to the oblique commitment in the formal agreement, countries will begin work a framework to gradually eliminate fossil fuels
• This will be largely a voluntary initiative led by Brazil that will report back 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 secured a tripling to $120bn of yearly funding to help them adapt to the impacts of environmental crises
• This sum will not be delivered in full until 2035
• Workers will benefit from a "equitable change process" to help people working in high-carbon industries shift to the renewable industry

Varied responses

While our planet teeters on the brink of climate "critical thresholds" that could devastate environments and throw whole regions into chaos, the agreement was far from the "giant leap" needed.

"Cop30 gave us some small advances in the right direction, but given the scale of the climate crisis, it has failed to rise to the occasion," warned one environmental analyst.

This imperfect deal might have been the maximum achievable, given the geopolitical headwinds – including a US president who avoided the talks and remains committed to oil and coal, the growing influence of nationalist politics, ongoing conflicts in various areas, intolerable levels of inequality, and global economic volatility.

"Major polluters – the energy conglomerates – were finally in the spotlight at these negotiations," comments one climate activist. "This represents progress on that. The opportunity is available. Now we must convert it to a real fire escape to a protected environment."

Deep fissures revealed

Although nations were able to celebrate the gavelling through of the deal, Cop30 also exposed deep fissures in the sole international mechanism for addressing the climate crisis.

"International summits are agreement-dependent, and in a time of global disagreements, unanimity is progressively challenging 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 evidence necessitates remains dangerously wide."

When the world is to prevent the most severe impacts of climate breakdown, the global discussions alone will fall far short.