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When dawn was breaking the Amazonian city of Belém on Saturday morning, negotiators remained confined in a airless conference room, oblivious whether it was day or night. For more than 12 hours in tense discussions, with scores ministers representing multiple blocs of countries ranging from the most vulnerable nations to the wealthiest economies.

Patience wore thin, the air heavy as weary delegates acknowledged the sobering reality: they would not reach a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The international climate negotiations teetered on the brink of complete breakdown.

The central impasse: Fossil fuels

Scientific evidence has shown for more than a century, the carbon dioxide produced by consuming fossil fuels is heating up our planet to alarming levels.

However, during more than three decades of regular climate meetings, the crucial requirement to stop fossil fuel use has been addressed only once – in a agreement made two years ago at the Dubai climate summit to "move beyond fossil fuels". Officials from the Arab Group, Russia, and several other countries were resolved this would not be repeated.

Increasing pressure for change

At the same time, a growing number of countries were equally determined that advancement on this issue was urgently necessary. They had developed a initiative that was earning expanding support and made it evident they were willing to hold firm.

Developing countries strongly sought to move forward on securing funding support to help them manage the growing impacts of climate disasters.

Critical moment

In the pre-dawn period of Saturday, some delegates were prepared to leave and trigger failure. "We were close for us," commented one energy minister. "I was ready to walk away."

The breakthrough 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 pressed wording that would obliquely recognise the global commitment to "shift from fossil fuels" made two years earlier in Dubai.

Unanticipated resolution

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

Participants showed visible relief. Celebrations began. The deal was completed.

With what became known as the "Belém political package", the world took an incremental move towards the phaseout of fossil fuels – a hesitant, inadequate step that will barely interrupt the climate's steady march towards crisis. But nevertheless a significant departure from complete stagnation.

Important aspects of the agreement

• Alongside the oblique commitment in the legally agreed text, countries will begin work a plan to gradually eliminate fossil fuels
• This will be largely a non-binding program 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 obtained a tripling to $120bn of annual finance to help them adapt to the impacts of climate disasters
• This funding will not be delivered in full 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 hovers near the brink of climate "irreversible changes" that could destroy ecosystems and throw whole regions into chaos, the agreement was far from the "giant leap" needed.

"Negotiators delivered some modest progress in the correct path, but in light of the magnitude of the climate crisis, it has not met the occasion," stated one policy director.

This limited deal might have been all that was possible, given the geopolitical headwinds – including a US president who ignored the talks and remains committed to oil and coal, the rising tide of conservative movements, continuing wars in multiple regions, intolerable levels of inequality, and global economic volatility.

"Fossil fuel corporations – the energy conglomerates – were ultimately in the spotlight at these negotiations," comments one environmental advocate. "This represents progress on that. The political space is available. Now we must turn it into a real fire escape to a protected environment."

Significant divisions revealed

While nations were able to welcome the gavelling through of the deal, Cop30 also highlighted major disagreements in the only global process for tackling the climate crisis.

"International summits are agreement-dependent, and in a period of geopolitical divides, consensus is increasingly difficult to reach," stated one senior UN official. "It would be dishonest to claim that this summit has achieved complete success that is needed. The difference between present circumstances and what evidence necessitates remains dangerously wide."

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