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As dawn illuminated the Amazonian city of Belém on Saturday morning, delegates remained stuck in a enclosed conference room, unaware whether it was day or night. Having spent 12 hours in tense discussions, with dozens ministers representing various coalitions of countries ranging from the most vulnerable nations to the wealthiest economies.

Tempers were short, the air stifling as exhausted delegates faced up to the sobering reality: there would not be a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The international climate negotiations hovered near the brink of total collapse.

The sticking point: Fossil fuels

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

However, during over three decades of annual climate meetings, the urgent need to halt fossil fuel use has been referenced only once – in a resolution made two years ago at the Dubai climate summit to "transition away from fossil fuels". Delegates from the Gulf states, Russia, and a few other countries were adamant this would not occur another time.

Increasing pressure for change

Simultaneously, a expanding group of countries were equally determined that movement on this issue was urgently necessary. They had formulated a proposal that was earning growing support and made it apparent they were willing to stand their ground.

Less wealthy nations urgently needed to make progress on securing funding support to help them address the increasingly severe impacts of climate disasters.

Turning point

By the early hours of Saturday, some delegates were prepared to withdraw and force a collapse. "We were close for us," remarked one national delegate. "I was prepared to walk away."

The breakthrough happened through discussions with Saudi Arabia. Around 6am, principal delegates split from the main group to hold a confidential discussion with the head Saudi negotiator. They urged language that would indirectly acknowledge the global commitment to "move beyond fossil fuels" made two years earlier in Dubai.

Unexpected agreement

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

Delegates showed visible relief. Cheers erupted. The agreement was finalized.

With what became known as the "Amazon accord", the world took an incremental move towards the phaseout of fossil fuels – a faltering, inadequate step that will minimally impact the climate's ongoing trajectory towards disaster. But nevertheless a important shift from total inaction.

Major components of the agreement

• Complementing the subtle acknowledgment in the formal agreement, countries will start developing a roadmap to systematically reduce fossil fuels
• This will be largely a voluntary initiative led by Brazil that will report back next year
• Addressing the essential decreases in greenhouse gas emissions to remain below the 1.5C limit was also put off to next year
• Developing countries achieved a threefold increase to $120bn of annual finance to help them cope with the impacts of climate disasters
• 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

Mixed reactions

With global conditions hovers near the brink of climate "critical thresholds" that could devastate environments and plunge whole regions into chaos, the agreement was insufficient as the "giant leap" needed.

"Negotiators delivered some small advances in the correct path, but given the scale of the climate crisis, it has failed to rise to the occasion," warned one climate expert.

This imperfect deal might have been the maximum achievable, given the political challenges – including a American leader who ignored the talks and remains wedded to oil and coal, the increasing presence of conservative movements, ongoing conflicts in different locations, intolerable levels of inequality, and global economic instability.

"The climate arsonists – the fossil fuel giants – were finally in the focus at these negotiations," says one climate activist. "There is no turning back on that. The political space is accessible. Now we must turn it into a genuine solution to a safer world."

Deep fissures revealed

Even as nations were able to celebrate the official adoption of the deal, Cop30 also highlighted significant divisions in the primary worldwide framework for confronting the climate crisis.

"International summits are consensus-based, and in a period of geopolitical divides, agreement is increasingly difficult to reach," stated one global leader. "We should not suggest that this summit has provided all that is needed. The difference between our current position and what evidence necessitates remains concerningly substantial."

When the world is to avert the worst ravages of climate breakdown, the global discussions alone will prove insufficient.