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While dawn illuminated the Amazonian city of Belém on Saturday morning, delegates remained confined in a windowless conference room, oblivious whether it was day or night. They had been 12 hours in strained discussions, with numerous ministers representing 17 groups of countries including the least developed nations to the richest economies.

Patience wore thin, the air stifling as weary delegates acknowledged the grim reality: there would not be a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The latest global climate summit hovered near the brink of abject failure.

The major obstacle: Fossil fuels

As science has told us for well over a century, the CO2 emissions produced by burning fossil fuels is heating up our planet to alarming levels.

Nevertheless, during nearly three decades of annual climate meetings, the essential necessity to stop fossil fuel use has been addressed only once – in a resolution made two years ago at previous UN climate talks to "shift from fossil fuels". Representatives from the Gulf states, Russia, and several other countries were adamant this would not happen again.

Growing momentum for change

At the same time, a growing number of countries were similarly resolved that movement on this issue was urgently necessary. They had developed a plan that was earning growing support and made it apparent they were prepared to dig in.

Less wealthy nations urgently needed to advance on securing funding support to help them address the growing impacts of environmental crises.

Turning point

By the early hours of Saturday, some delegates were ready to leave and force a collapse. "The situation was precarious for us," commented one energy minister. "I was prepared to walk away."

The critical development came through negotiations with Saudi Arabia. Around 6am, key negotiators split from the main group to hold a closed-door meeting with the chief Saudi negotiator. They encouraged wording that would subtly reference the global commitment to "transition away from fossil fuels" made two years earlier in Dubai.

Unexpected agreement

As opposed to explicitly namechecking fossil fuels, the text would refer to "the previous commitment". Following reflection, the Saudi delegation surprisingly accepted the wording.

Participants expressed relief. Cheers erupted. The agreement was done.

With what became known as the "Belém political package", the world took an incremental move towards the gradual elimination of fossil fuels – a hesitant, insufficient step that will scarcely affect the climate's continued progression towards crisis. But nevertheless a notable change from complete stagnation.

Major components of the agreement

• In addition to the indirect reference in the legally agreed text, countries will start developing a roadmap to systematically reduce 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 remain below the 1.5C limit was likewise deferred to next year
• Developing countries achieved a tripling to $120bn of yearly funding to help them manage the impacts of environmental crises
• This funding will not be completely provided until 2035
• Workers will benefit from a "equitable change process" to help people working in fossil fuel sectors shift to the renewable industry

Varied responses

As the world hovers near the brink of climate "critical thresholds" that could destroy ecosystems and plunge whole regions into disorder, the agreement was far from the "giant leap" needed.

"The summit provided some modest progress in the proper course, but in light of the scale of the climate crisis, it has fallen short of the occasion," cautioned one policy director.

This limited deal might have been the best attainable, given the international tensions – including a American leader who shunned the talks and remains aligned with oil and coal, the increasing presence of rightwing populism, persistent fighting in various areas, intolerable levels of inequality, and global economic uncertainty.

"Fossil fuel corporations – the oil and gas companies – were at last in the spotlight at the climate summit," says one climate activist. "There is no turning back on that. The political space is available. Now we must turn it into a real fire escape to a safer world."

Significant divisions revealed

While nations were able to celebrate the formal approval of the deal, Cop30 also exposed significant divisions in the sole international mechanism for tackling the climate crisis.

"UN negotiations are consensus-based, and in a time of geopolitical divides, agreement is increasingly difficult to reach," stated one global leader. "It would be dishonest to claim that this summit has achieved complete success that is needed. The gap between where we are and what evidence necessitates remains alarmingly large."

Should the world is to avoid the gravest consequences of climate breakdown, the UN climate talks alone will fall far short.