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When dawn crept over the Amazonian city of Belém on Saturday morning, representatives remained stuck in a airless conference room, oblivious whether it was day or night. Having spent 12 hours in tense discussions, with scores ministers representing multiple blocs of countries from the poorest nations to the wealthiest economies.

Patience wore thin, the air heavy as weary delegates faced up to the grim reality: they were unlikely to achieve a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The latest global climate summit 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 utilizing fossil fuels is increasing temperatures on our planet to critical levels.

However, during more than three decades of regular climate meetings, the urgent need to cease fossil fuel use has been addressed only once – in a resolution made two years ago at the Dubai climate summit to "move beyond fossil fuels". Delegates from the Arab Group, Russia, and a few other countries were determined this would not happen again.

Mounting support for change

At the same time, a growing number of countries were similarly resolved that advancement on this issue was vitally needed. They had developed a proposal that was attracting growing support and made it apparent they were prepared to dig in.

Developing countries urgently needed to move forward on securing financial assistance to help them manage the increasingly severe impacts of extreme weather.

Breaking point

During the night of Saturday, some delegates were ready to walk out and trigger failure. "It was on the edge for us," stated one government representative. "I was ready to walk away."

The pivotal moment occurred through discussions with Saudi Arabia. Around 6am, senior representatives split from the main group to hold a closed-door meeting with the lead Saudi negotiator. They encouraged wording that would indirectly acknowledge the global commitment to "move beyond fossil fuels" made two years earlier in Dubai.

Unexpected agreement

Instead of explicitly namechecking fossil fuels, the text would refer to "the Dubai agreement". Upon deliberation, the Saudi delegation unforeseeably agreed to the wording.

Participants collapsed into relief. Applause rang out. The settlement was completed.

With what became known as the "Brazil agreement", the world took an incremental move towards the phaseout of fossil fuels – a faltering, insufficient step that will barely interrupt the climate's steady march towards disaster. But nevertheless a important shift from complete stagnation.

Important aspects of the agreement

• Alongside the indirect reference in the official document, countries will start developing a framework to systematically reduce fossil fuels
• This will be mostly a optional undertaking 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 similarly postponed to next year
• Developing countries obtained a significant expansion to $120bn of annual finance to help them manage the impacts of extreme weather
• This funding will not be completely provided until 2035
• Workers will benefit from a "just transition mechanism" to help people working in fossil fuel sectors transition to the renewable industry

Mixed reactions

With global conditions hovers near the brink of climate "irreversible changes" that could destroy ecosystems and throw whole regions into chaos, 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 imperfect deal might have been the best attainable, given the political challenges – including a American leader who avoided the talks and remains committed to oil and coal, the increasing presence of rightwing populism, continuing wars in different locations, extreme measures of inequality, and global economic instability.

"The climate arsonists – the energy conglomerates – were finally in the crosshairs at the climate summit," notes one climate activist. "There is no turning back on that. The political space is available. Now we must transform it into a genuine solution to a safer world."

Major disagreements revealed

Although nations were able to celebrate the gavelling through of the deal, Cop30 also exposed major disagreements in the primary worldwide framework for confronting the climate crisis.

"International summits are unanimity-required, and in a era of geopolitical divides, agreement is increasingly difficult to reach," stated one senior UN official. "We should not suggest that this summit has delivered everything that is needed. The difference between our current position and what research requires remains dangerously wide."

If the world is to avoid the gravest consequences of climate collapse, the UN climate talks alone will prove insufficient.