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When dawn illuminated the Amazonian city of Belém on Saturday morning, delegates remained trapped in a enclosed conference room, oblivious whether it was day or night. They had been 12 hours in tense discussions, with numerous ministers representing multiple blocs of countries ranging from the least developed nations to the most developed economies.

Tempers were short, the air thick as sweaty delegates confronted the harsh reality: there would not be a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The international climate negotiations teetered on the brink of complete breakdown.

The major obstacle: Fossil fuels

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

However, during more than three decades of yearly climate meetings, the essential necessity to stop fossil fuel use has been referenced only once – in a agreement made two years ago at Cop28 to "move beyond fossil fuels". Officials from the Arab Group, Russia, and several other countries were resolved this would not occur another time.

Increasing pressure for change

Meanwhile, a expanding group of countries were just as committed that movement on this issue was crucially important. They had formulated a initiative that was earning growing support and made it evident they were ready to stand their ground.

Emerging economies urgently needed to make progress on securing financial assistance to help them manage the increasingly severe impacts of extreme weather.

Turning point

In the pre-dawn period of Saturday, some delegates were ready to withdraw and force a collapse. "It was on the edge for us," remarked one government representative. "I considered to walk away."

The critical development happened through negotiations with Saudi Arabia. Near 6am, senior representatives separated from the main group to hold a closed-door meeting with the chief Saudi negotiator. They encouraged language that would obliquely recognise the global commitment to "transition away from fossil fuels" made two years earlier in Dubai.

Unanticipated resolution

Instead of explicitly mentioning fossil fuels, the text would refer to "the Dubai agreement". Following reflection, the Saudi delegation unforeseeably accepted the wording.

Participants expressed relief. Celebrations began. The agreement was finalized.

With what became known as the "Amazon accord", the world took an incremental move towards the systematic reduction of fossil fuels – a hesitant, insufficient step that will barely interrupt the climate's steady march towards catastrophe. But nevertheless a notable change from complete stagnation.

Key elements of the agreement

• In addition to the oblique commitment in the official document, countries will commence creating a roadmap to phase out fossil fuels
• This will be primarily a voluntary initiative led by Brazil that will deliver findings next year
• Addressing the required reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to stay within the 1.5C limit was similarly postponed to next year
• Developing countries achieved a significant expansion to $120bn of annual finance to help them cope with the impacts of extreme weather
• This sum will not be completely provided until 2035
• Workers will benefit from a "equitable change process" to help people working in fossil fuel sectors transition to the clean economy

Mixed reactions

With global conditions hovers near the brink of climate "irreversible changes" that could devastate environments and force whole regions into crisis, the agreement was insufficient as the "significant advancement" needed.

"The summit provided some baby steps in the proper course, but considering the magnitude of the climate crisis, it has not met the occasion," cautioned one environmental analyst.

This limited deal might have been the best attainable, given the political challenges – including a Washington administration who ignored the talks and remains wedded to oil and coal, the rising tide of nationalist politics, ongoing conflicts in different locations, unacceptable degrees of inequality, and global economic volatility.

"Fossil fuel corporations – the fossil fuel giants – were at last in the crosshairs at these negotiations," says one environmental advocate. "We have crossed a threshold on that. The opportunity is available. Now we must convert it to a real fire escape to a protected environment."

Significant divisions revealed

Although nations were able to applaud the official adoption of the deal, Cop30 also revealed deep fissures in the primary worldwide framework for confronting the climate crisis.

"UN negotiations are agreement-dependent, and in a period of global disagreements, consensus is ever harder to reach," commented one senior UN official. "It would be dishonest to claim that Cop30 has provided all that is needed. The difference between where we are and what science demands remains alarmingly large."

If the world is to avert the most severe impacts of climate collapse, the global discussions alone will prove insufficient.