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When dawn was breaking the Amazonian city of Belém on Saturday morning, negotiators remained confined in a enclosed conference room, unaware whether it was day or night. They had been 12 hours in difficult discussions, with numerous ministers representing multiple blocs of countries from the poorest nations to the wealthiest economies.

Patience wore thin, the air thick as exhausted delegates faced up to the grim reality: there would not be a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The international climate negotiations faced the brink of total collapse.

The central impasse: Fossil fuels

Scientific evidence has shown for well over a century, the carbon dioxide produced by burning fossil fuels is increasing temperatures on our planet to critical levels.

Nevertheless, during nearly three decades of annual climate meetings, the essential necessity to halt fossil fuel use has been referenced only once – in a agreement made two years ago at the Dubai climate summit to "shift from fossil fuels". Delegates from the Gulf states, Russia, and multiple other countries were resolved this would not be repeated.

Mounting support for change

At the same time, a expanding group of countries were similarly resolved that movement on this issue was crucially important. They had created a plan that was attracting growing support and made it evident they were willing to hold firm.

Less wealthy nations urgently needed to move forward on securing funding support to help them manage the growing impacts of climate disasters.

Critical moment

During the night of Saturday, some delegates were ready to withdraw and cause breakdown. "It was on the edge for us," commented one national delegate. "I was prepared to walk away."

The breakthrough came through discussions with Saudi Arabia. Near 6am, key negotiators split from the main group to hold a private conversation with the lead Saudi negotiator. They urged language that would indirectly acknowledge the global commitment to "shift from fossil fuels" made two years earlier in Dubai.

Unanticipated resolution

As opposed to explicitly referencing fossil fuels, the text would refer to "the UAE consensus". Upon deliberation, the Saudi delegation surprisingly agreed to the wording.

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

With what became known as the "Amazon accord", the world took a modest advance towards the gradual elimination of fossil fuels – a uncertain, insufficient step that will scarcely affect the climate's steady march towards catastrophe. But nevertheless a important shift from total inaction.

Important aspects of the agreement

• Complementing the subtle acknowledgment in the legally agreed text, countries will begin work a plan to systematically reduce fossil fuels
• This will be primarily a non-binding program led by Brazil that will deliver findings next year
• Addressing the required reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to stay within the 1.5C limit was likewise deferred to next year
• Developing countries secured a tripling to $120bn of yearly funding to help them cope with the impacts of climate disasters
• This sum will not be fully available until 2035
• Workers will benefit from a "equitable change process" to help people working in fossil fuel sectors move toward the renewable industry

Mixed reactions

With global conditions approaches the brink of climate "critical thresholds" that could devastate environments and plunge whole regions into crisis, the agreement was far from the "giant leap" needed.

"Cop30 gave us some small advances in the right direction, but considering the magnitude 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 geopolitical headwinds – including a American leader who shunned the talks and remains wedded to oil and coal, the rising tide of rightwing populism, ongoing conflicts in various areas, extreme measures of inequality, and global economic uncertainty.

"Fossil fuel corporations – the energy conglomerates – were ultimately in the spotlight at Cop30," says one climate activist. "This represents progress on that. The platform is available. Now we must turn it into a actual pathway to a safer world."

Significant divisions revealed

Although nations were able to welcome the gavelling through of the deal, Cop30 also revealed deep fissures in the primary worldwide framework for tackling the climate crisis.

"UN negotiations are consensus-based, and in a era of global disagreements, agreement is progressively challenging to reach," observed one senior UN official. "It would be dishonest to claim that these talks has achieved complete success that is needed. The difference between present circumstances and what research requires remains alarmingly large."

If the world is to avoid the worst ravages of climate collapse, the global discussions alone will not be nearly enough.