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While dawn crept over the Amazonian city of Belém on Saturday morning, representatives remained stuck in a airless conference room, unaware whether it was day or night. Having spent 12 hours in difficult discussions, with dozens ministers representing 17 groups of countries including the most vulnerable nations to the wealthiest economies.

Tempers were short, the air stifling as exhausted delegates confronted the sobering reality: they would not reach a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The latest global climate summit faced the brink of complete breakdown.

The sticking point: 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 critical levels.

However, during nearly three decades of regular climate meetings, the essential necessity to halt fossil fuel use has been referenced only once – in a resolution 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 be repeated.

Increasing pressure for change

Simultaneously, a expanding group of countries were similarly resolved that progress on this issue was vitally needed. They had created a initiative that was gathering increasing support and made it clear they were ready to stand their ground.

Less wealthy nations strongly sought to advance on securing economic resources to help them address the increasingly severe impacts of climate disasters.

Breaking point

In the pre-dawn period of Saturday, some delegates were ready to leave and trigger failure. "It was on the edge for us," stated one energy minister. "I was ready to walk away."

The pivotal moment happened through talks with Saudi Arabia. Shortly after 6am, senior representatives separated from the main group to hold a confidential discussion with the lead Saudi negotiator. They pressed wording that would subtly reference the global commitment to "transition away from fossil fuels" made two years earlier in Dubai.

Surprising consensus

Rather than explicitly referencing fossil fuels, the text would refer to "the previous commitment". Following reflection, the Saudi delegation unforeseeably accepted the wording.

Participants collapsed into relief. Applause rang out. The agreement was finalized.

With what became known as the "Belém political package", the world took another small step towards the systematic reduction of fossil fuels – a faltering, inadequate step that will minimally impact the climate's continued progression towards disaster. But nevertheless a significant departure from absolute paralysis.

Key elements of the agreement

• Complementing the oblique commitment in the official document, countries will begin work a plan to phase out fossil fuels
• This will be mostly a voluntary initiative 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 achieved a significant expansion to $120bn of yearly funding to help them cope with the impacts of extreme weather
• This sum will not be completely provided until 2035
• Workers will benefit from a "fair adjustment program" to help people working in fossil fuel sectors transition to the clean economy

Varied responses

With global conditions approaches the brink of climate "tipping points" that could devastate environments and force whole regions into chaos, the agreement was insufficient as the "significant advancement" needed.

"Negotiators delivered some small advances in the right direction, but considering the severity of the climate crisis, it has failed to rise to the occasion," cautioned one policy director.

This imperfect deal might have been all that was possible, given the geopolitical headwinds – including a US president who shunned the talks and remains aligned with oil and coal, the rising tide of rightwing populism, ongoing conflicts in different locations, intolerable levels of inequality, and global economic volatility.

"The climate arsonists – the oil and gas companies – were at last in the spotlight at the climate summit," notes one policy convener. "There is no turning back on that. The platform is open. Now we must convert it to a actual pathway to a safer world."

Significant divisions revealed

Although nations were able to welcome the formal approval of the deal, Cop30 also exposed deep fissures in the only global process for tackling the climate crisis.

"UN negotiations are unanimity-required, and in a time of international tensions, unanimity is progressively challenging to reach," commented 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 dangerously wide."

If the world is to prevent the worst ravages of climate collapse, the global discussions alone will prove insufficient.