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When dawn crept over the Amazonian city of Belém on Saturday morning, representatives remained trapped in a enclosed conference room, oblivious whether it was day or night. They had been 12 hours in tense discussions, with dozens ministers representing 17 groups of countries ranging from the least developed nations to the richest economies.

Patience wore thin, the air heavy as weary delegates acknowledged the harsh reality: they would not reach a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The latest global climate summit teetered on the brink of total collapse.

The major obstacle: Fossil fuels

As science has told us for more than a century, the greenhouse gases produced by consuming fossil fuels is increasing temperatures on our planet to alarming levels.

Nevertheless, during more than three decades of annual climate meetings, the essential necessity to halt fossil fuel use has been mentioned only once – in a resolution made two years ago at previous UN climate talks to "move beyond fossil fuels". Officials from the Arab Group, Russia, and several other countries were resolved this would not occur another time.

Mounting support for change

At the same time, a expanding group of countries were equally determined that advancement on this issue was crucially important. They had developed a proposal that was attracting increasing support and made it apparent they were prepared to hold firm.

Less wealthy nations desperately wanted 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 walk out and trigger failure. "The situation was precarious for us," stated one national delegate. "I was ready to walk away."

The critical development happened through negotiations with Saudi Arabia. Near 6am, key negotiators separated from the main group to hold a private conversation with the lead Saudi negotiator. They urged wording that would obliquely recognise the global commitment to "move beyond fossil fuels" made two years earlier in Dubai.

Surprising consensus

Instead of explicitly namechecking fossil fuels, the text would refer to "the UAE consensus". After consideration, the Saudi delegation unforeseeably agreed to the wording.

Delegates expressed relief. Applause rang out. The agreement was finalized.

With what became known as the "Brazil agreement", the world took an incremental move towards the gradual elimination of fossil fuels – a uncertain, limited step that will minimally impact the climate's continued progression towards catastrophe. But nevertheless a important shift from total inaction.

Major components of the agreement

• Complementing the subtle acknowledgment in the legally agreed text, countries will start developing a framework to phase out fossil fuels
• This will be mostly a voluntary initiative led by Brazil that will provide updates next year
• Addressing the necessary cuts in greenhouse gas emissions to not exceed the 1.5C limit was also put off to next year
• Developing countries achieved a tripling to $120bn of yearly funding to help them adapt to 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 high-carbon industries shift to the sustainable sector

Mixed reactions

With global conditions approaches the brink of climate "tipping points" that could devastate environments and plunge whole regions into crisis, the agreement was insufficient as the "giant leap" needed.

"Cop30 gave us some small advances in the right direction, but considering the scale of the climate crisis, it has fallen short of the occasion," stated one climate expert.

This limited deal might have been the best attainable, given the international tensions – including a American leader who shunned the talks and remains committed to oil and coal, the increasing presence of conservative movements, ongoing conflicts in various areas, unacceptable degrees of inequality, and global economic volatility.

"Fossil fuel corporations – the energy conglomerates – were at last in the focus at Cop30," comments one policy convener. "There is no turning back on that. The opportunity is available. Now we must turn it into a real fire escape to a more secure planet."

Major disagreements revealed

While nations were able to welcome the official adoption of the deal, Cop30 also highlighted significant divisions in the only global process for tackling the climate crisis.

"UN negotiations are agreement-dependent, and in a period of international tensions, agreement is progressively challenging to reach," stated one international diplomat. "I cannot pretend that these talks has provided all that is needed. The difference between where we are and what research requires remains dangerously wide."

Should the world is to avert the most severe impacts of climate collapse, the UN climate talks alone will not be nearly enough.