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While 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 tense discussions, with scores ministers representing 17 groups of countries including the poorest nations to the most developed economies.

Patience wore thin, the air heavy as sweaty delegates faced up to the harsh reality: there would not be a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The latest global climate summit teetered on the brink of complete breakdown.

The central impasse: Fossil fuels

As science has told us for well over a century, the carbon dioxide produced by consuming fossil fuels is heating up our planet to alarming levels.

Nevertheless, during nearly three decades of yearly climate meetings, the urgent need to halt fossil fuel use has been mentioned only once – in a decision made two years ago at Cop28 to "shift from fossil fuels". Representatives from the Arab Group, Russia, and a few other countries were resolved this would not happen again.

Mounting support for change

At the same time, a expanding group of countries were equally determined that movement on this issue was crucially important. They had developed a initiative that was earning expanding support and made it apparent they were prepared to dig in.

Developing countries urgently needed to make progress on securing funding support to help them manage the already disastrous impacts of extreme weather.

Breaking point

By the early hours of Saturday, some delegates were ready to leave and cause breakdown. "We were close for us," commented one energy minister. "I was ready to walk away."

The critical development happened through discussions with Saudi Arabia. Shortly after 6am, senior representatives separated from the main group to hold a confidential discussion with the head Saudi negotiator. They encouraged language that would obliquely recognise the global commitment to "transition away from fossil fuels" made two years earlier in Dubai.

Surprising consensus

Instead of explicitly mentioning fossil fuels, the text would refer to "the Dubai agreement". After consideration, the Saudi delegation unexpectedly accepted the wording.

Participants expressed relief. Cheers erupted. The deal was finalized.

With what became known as the "Belém political package", the world took a modest advance towards the gradual elimination of fossil fuels – a hesitant, limited step that will scarcely affect the climate's continued progression towards crisis. But nevertheless a important shift from total inaction.

Key elements of the agreement

• Complementing the subtle acknowledgment in the official document, countries will start developing a plan to gradually eliminate fossil fuels
• This will be largely a non-binding program led by Brazil that will deliver findings next year
• Addressing the necessary cuts in greenhouse gas emissions to stay within the 1.5C limit was similarly postponed to next year
• Developing countries obtained a threefold increase to $120bn of yearly funding to help them manage the impacts of extreme weather
• This funding will not be completely provided until 2035
• Workers will benefit from a "fair adjustment program" to help people working in polluting businesses shift to the sustainable sector

Differing opinions

As the world approaches the brink of climate "critical thresholds" that could eliminate habitats and plunge whole regions into crisis, the agreement was far from the "major breakthrough" needed.

"The summit provided some modest progress in the right direction, but in light of the magnitude of the climate crisis, it has failed to rise to the occasion," stated one climate expert.

This flawed deal might have been the maximum achievable, given the geopolitical headwinds – including a Washington administration who shunned the talks and remains committed to oil and coal, the rising tide of rightwing populism, continuing wars in multiple regions, intolerable levels of inequality, and global economic volatility.

"Fossil fuel corporations – the fossil fuel giants – were finally in the spotlight at the climate summit," comments one policy convener. "This represents progress on that. The opportunity is open. Now we must convert it to a real fire escape to a more secure planet."

Major disagreements revealed

While nations were able to welcome the formal approval of the deal, Cop30 also exposed major disagreements in the primary worldwide framework for addressing the climate crisis.

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

Should the world is to avoid the most severe impacts of climate crisis, the international negotiations alone will not be nearly enough.