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As dawn illuminated the Amazonian city of Belém on Saturday morning, delegates remained confined in a airless conference room, oblivious whether it was day or night. They had been 12 hours in difficult discussions, with scores ministers representing various coalitions of countries including the poorest nations to the most developed economies.

Frustration mounted, the air heavy as exhausted delegates confronted the harsh reality: they were unlikely to achieve a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The latest global climate summit faced the brink of abject failure.

The major obstacle: Fossil fuels

As science has told us for more than a century, the CO2 emissions produced by burning fossil fuels is increasing temperatures on our planet to critical levels.

However, during nearly three decades of yearly climate meetings, the crucial requirement to halt fossil fuel use has been referenced only once – in a agreement made two years ago at Cop28 to "shift from fossil fuels". Delegates from the Gulf states, Russia, and multiple other countries were adamant this would not happen again.

Increasing pressure for change

Simultaneously, a growing number of countries were just as committed that movement on this issue was crucially important. They had developed a plan that was attracting increasing support and made it apparent they were willing to stand their ground.

Emerging economies urgently needed to advance on securing funding support to help them address the growing impacts of extreme weather.

Turning point

By the early hours of Saturday, some delegates were willing to walk out and cause breakdown. "The situation was precarious for us," commented one energy minister. "I considered to walk away."

The critical development occurred through negotiations with Saudi Arabia. Around 6am, key negotiators separated from the main group to hold a confidential discussion with the chief Saudi negotiator. They pressed text that would obliquely recognise the global commitment to "transition away from 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.

Participants collapsed into relief. Cheers erupted. The agreement was done.

With what became known as the "Belém political package", the world took an incremental move towards the phaseout of fossil fuels – a hesitant, limited step that will barely interrupt the climate's continued progression towards disaster. But nevertheless a important shift from absolute paralysis.

Key elements of the agreement

• Complementing the subtle acknowledgment in the official document, countries will begin work a roadmap 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 not exceed the 1.5C limit was also put off to next year
• Developing countries obtained a tripling to $120bn of annual finance to help them manage the impacts of extreme weather
• This funding will not be fully available until 2035
• Workers will benefit from a "just transition mechanism" to help people working in high-carbon industries transition to the clean economy

Varied responses

With global conditions approaches the brink of climate "critical thresholds" that could devastate environments and force whole regions into chaos, the agreement was not the "significant advancement" needed.

"Cop30 gave us some small advances in the correct path, but given the severity of the climate crisis, it has failed to rise to the occasion," stated one climate expert.

This flawed deal might have been all that was possible, given the international tensions – including a American leader who shunned the talks and remains wedded to oil and coal, the increasing presence of rightwing populism, persistent fighting in different locations, intolerable levels of inequality, and global economic volatility.

"The climate arsonists – the energy conglomerates – were finally in the crosshairs at the climate summit," comments one climate activist. "We have crossed a threshold on that. The opportunity is accessible. Now we must convert it to a genuine solution to a more secure planet."

Deep fissures revealed

Even as nations were able to applaud the formal approval of the deal, Cop30 also highlighted significant divisions in the only global process for addressing the climate crisis.

"International summits are unanimity-required, and in a period of global disagreements, agreement is progressively challenging to reach," stated one global leader. "It would be dishonest to claim that this summit has delivered everything that is needed. The gap between where we are and what science demands remains concerningly substantial."

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