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While dawn was breaking the Amazonian city of Belém on Saturday morning, negotiators remained trapped in a windowless conference room, unaware whether it was day or night. Having spent 12 hours in strained discussions, with numerous ministers representing various coalitions of countries from the least developed nations to the wealthiest economies.

Patience wore thin, the air heavy as sweaty delegates acknowledged the sobering reality: they would not reach a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The 30th UN climate conference hovered near the brink of total collapse.

The sticking point: Fossil fuels

Scientific evidence has shown for more than a century, the greenhouse gases produced by consuming fossil fuels is warming our planet to alarming levels.

Nevertheless, during nearly three decades of regular climate meetings, the urgent need to cease fossil fuel use has been addressed only once – in a agreement made two years ago at Cop28 to "shift from fossil fuels". Delegates from the Gulf states, Russia, and several other countries were adamant this would not happen again.

Growing momentum for change

At the same time, a increasing coalition 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 evident they were prepared to hold firm.

Less wealthy nations urgently needed to make progress on securing financial assistance to help them manage the already disastrous impacts of climate disasters.

Turning point

In the pre-dawn period of Saturday, some delegates were ready to withdraw and cause breakdown. "It was on the edge for us," stated one national delegate. "I was prepared to walk away."

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

Unanticipated resolution

Rather than explicitly mentioning fossil fuels, the text would refer to "the Dubai agreement". Upon deliberation, the Saudi delegation unexpectedly approved the wording.

The room collapsed into relief. Cheers erupted. The deal was done.

With what became known as the "Brazil agreement", the world took an incremental move towards the gradual elimination of fossil fuels – a hesitant, inadequate step that will scarcely affect the climate's ongoing trajectory towards disaster. But nevertheless a notable change from total inaction.

Major components of the agreement

• In addition to the indirect reference in the official document, countries will commence creating a plan to gradually eliminate fossil fuels
• This will be largely a non-binding program led by Brazil that will provide updates next year
• Addressing the required reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to stay within the 1.5C limit was also put off to next year
• Developing countries obtained a tripling to $120bn of yearly funding to help them manage the impacts of environmental crises
• This sum will not be fully available until 2035
• Workers will benefit from a "equitable change process" to help people working in fossil fuel sectors transition to the renewable industry

Differing opinions

With global conditions teeters on the brink of climate "irreversible changes" that could eliminate habitats and force whole regions into crisis, the agreement was not the "significant advancement" needed.

"Negotiators delivered some small advances in the proper course, but considering the scale of the climate crisis, it has fallen short of the occasion," cautioned one climate expert.

This limited deal might have been all that was possible, given the geopolitical headwinds – including a Washington administration who shunned the talks and remains wedded to oil and coal, the growing influence of conservative movements, ongoing conflicts in multiple regions, intolerable levels of inequality, and global economic instability.

"The climate arsonists – the fossil fuel giants – were finally in the spotlight at these negotiations," says one environmental advocate. "There is no turning back on that. The platform is accessible. Now we must transform it into a genuine solution to a safer world."

Major disagreements revealed

While nations were able to welcome the formal approval of the deal, Cop30 also highlighted deep fissures in the sole international mechanism for confronting the climate crisis.

"Climate conferences are unanimity-required, and in a era of international tensions, consensus is progressively challenging to reach," stated one senior UN official. "We should not suggest that this summit has delivered everything that is needed. The gap between present circumstances and what research requires remains alarmingly large."

When the world is to avert the worst ravages of climate breakdown, the global discussions alone will not be nearly enough.