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As dawn crept over the Amazonian city of Belém on Saturday morning, representatives remained stuck in a enclosed conference room, unaware whether it was day or night. They had been 12 hours in tense discussions, with scores ministers representing multiple blocs of countries ranging from the poorest nations to the richest economies.

Tempers were short, the air heavy as exhausted delegates faced up to the harsh reality: they would not reach a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The latest global climate summit hovered near the brink of complete breakdown.

The central impasse: Fossil fuels

As science has told us for nearly a century, the CO2 emissions produced by consuming fossil fuels is warming our planet to dangerous levels.

Yet, during over three decades of yearly climate meetings, the crucial requirement to cease fossil fuel use has been mentioned only once – in a agreement made two years ago at Cop28 to "transition away from fossil fuels". Officials from the Arab Group, Russia, and several other countries were adamant this would not occur another time.

Mounting support for change

At the same time, a growing number of countries were equally determined that movement on this issue was urgently necessary. They had formulated a initiative that was gathering growing support and made it evident they were willing to stand their ground.

Less wealthy nations desperately wanted to make progress on securing financial assistance to help them manage the increasingly severe impacts of climate disasters.

Critical moment

In the pre-dawn period of Saturday, some delegates were willing to walk out and cause breakdown. "We were close for us," commented one government representative. "I was ready to walk away."

The breakthrough came through talks with Saudi Arabia. Around 6am, senior representatives split from the main group to hold a confidential discussion with the chief Saudi negotiator. They urged wording that would subtly reference the global commitment to "transition away from fossil fuels" made two years earlier in Dubai.

Unexpected agreement

Instead of explicitly mentioning fossil fuels, the text would refer to "the previous commitment". After consideration, the Saudi delegation surprisingly accepted the wording.

Participants collapsed into relief. Celebrations began. The settlement was finalized.

With what became known as the "Brazil agreement", the world took a modest advance towards the systematic reduction of fossil fuels – a faltering, insufficient step that will minimally impact the climate's ongoing trajectory towards disaster. But nevertheless a notable change from absolute paralysis.

Major components of the agreement

• In addition to the oblique commitment in the formal agreement, countries will start developing a plan to phase out fossil fuels
• This will be mostly a non-binding program led by Brazil that will provide updates next year
• Addressing the required reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to stay within the 1.5C limit was similarly postponed to next year
• Developing countries secured a tripling to $120bn of yearly funding to help them adapt to the impacts of climate disasters
• This funding will not be fully available until 2035
• Workers will benefit from a "equitable change process" to help people working in polluting businesses transition to the clean economy

Mixed reactions

While our planet approaches the brink of climate "tipping points" that could devastate environments and force whole regions into chaos, the agreement was far from the "major breakthrough" needed.

"Negotiators delivered some small advances in the proper course, but considering the magnitude of the climate crisis, it has failed to rise to the occasion," cautioned one environmental analyst.

This flawed deal might have been the maximum achievable, given the geopolitical headwinds – including a Washington administration who avoided the talks and remains committed to oil and coal, the increasing presence of nationalist politics, ongoing conflicts in different locations, extreme measures of inequality, and global economic volatility.

"Major polluters – the energy conglomerates – were finally in the spotlight at these negotiations," notes one climate activist. "This represents progress on that. The opportunity is open. Now we must transform it into a real fire escape to a more secure planet."

Major disagreements revealed

While nations were able to applaud the formal approval of the deal, Cop30 also highlighted major disagreements in the primary worldwide framework for addressing the climate crisis.

"International summits are unanimity-required, and in a period of global disagreements, consensus is increasingly difficult to reach," commented one senior UN official. "It would be dishonest to claim that these talks has achieved complete success that is needed. The gap between our current position and what science demands remains dangerously wide."

When the world is to avoid the most severe impacts of climate collapse, the UN climate talks alone will prove insufficient.