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When dawn crept over the Amazonian city of Belém on Saturday morning, delegates remained trapped in a airless conference room, unaware whether it was day or night. Having spent 12 hours in tense discussions, with numerous ministers representing multiple blocs of countries ranging from the poorest nations to the most developed economies.

Patience wore thin, the air thick as weary delegates faced up to the sobering reality: they would not reach a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The international climate negotiations faced the brink of abject failure.

The sticking point: Fossil fuels

Scientific evidence has shown for nearly a century, the CO2 emissions produced by utilizing fossil fuels is heating up our planet to critical levels.

Yet, during over three decades of yearly climate meetings, the urgent need to stop fossil fuel use has been addressed only once – in a decision made two years ago at previous UN climate talks to "shift from fossil fuels". Representatives from the Arab Group, Russia, and a few other countries were determined this would not be repeated.

Growing momentum for change

Meanwhile, a expanding group of countries were equally determined that movement on this issue was urgently necessary. They had created a proposal that was gathering expanding support and made it apparent they were ready to dig in.

Emerging economies desperately wanted to make progress on securing economic resources to help them address the already disastrous impacts of climate disasters.

Turning point

In the pre-dawn period of Saturday, some delegates were ready to leave and cause breakdown. "The situation was precarious for us," commented one energy minister. "I was ready to walk away."

The breakthrough occurred through talks with Saudi Arabia. Near 6am, senior representatives split from the main group to hold a closed-door meeting with the lead Saudi negotiator. They pressed text that would obliquely recognise the global commitment to "shift from fossil fuels" made two years earlier in Dubai.

Surprising consensus

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

The room expressed relief. Applause rang out. The deal was finalized.

With what became known as the "Amazon accord", the world took an incremental move towards the phaseout of fossil fuels – a uncertain, insufficient step that will scarcely affect the climate's continued progression towards crisis. But nevertheless a significant departure from absolute paralysis.

Key elements of the agreement

• Complementing the indirect reference in the official document, countries will begin work a plan to gradually eliminate fossil fuels
• This will be mostly a optional undertaking led by Brazil that will provide updates next year
• Addressing the necessary cuts in greenhouse gas emissions to remain below the 1.5C limit was similarly postponed to next year
• Developing countries obtained a significant expansion to $120bn of regular financial support to help them adapt to the impacts of climate disasters
• This sum will not be fully available until 2035
• Workers will benefit from a "fair adjustment program" to help people working in polluting businesses shift to the clean economy

Differing opinions

With global conditions teeters on the brink of climate "tipping points" that could eliminate habitats and force whole regions into disorder, the agreement was insufficient as the "significant advancement" needed.

"Negotiators delivered some baby steps in the correct path, but considering the scale of the climate crisis, it has not met the occasion," warned one environmental analyst.

This imperfect deal might have been all that was possible, given the geopolitical headwinds – including a Washington administration who ignored the talks and remains aligned with oil and coal, the rising tide of rightwing populism, persistent fighting in multiple regions, intolerable levels of inequality, and global economic volatility.

"Major polluters – the energy conglomerates – were ultimately in the focus at Cop30," notes one policy convener. "There is no turning back on that. The platform is open. Now we must transform it into a actual pathway to a protected environment."

Deep fissures revealed

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

"Climate conferences are unanimity-required, and in a era of geopolitical divides, agreement is increasingly difficult to reach," stated one senior UN official. "I cannot pretend that these talks has delivered everything that is needed. The disparity between present circumstances and what science demands remains dangerously wide."

Should the world is to avert the gravest consequences of climate breakdown, the international negotiations alone will prove insufficient.