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As dawn illuminated the Amazonian city of Belém on Saturday morning, delegates remained trapped in a enclosed conference room, unaware whether it was day or night. For more than 12 hours in difficult discussions, with numerous ministers representing various coalitions of countries including the poorest nations to the richest economies.

Frustration mounted, the air stifling as sweaty delegates confronted the sobering reality: there would not be a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The international climate negotiations teetered on the brink of total collapse.

The sticking point: Fossil fuels

As science has told us for nearly a century, the greenhouse gases produced by burning fossil fuels is heating up our planet to alarming levels.

Nevertheless, during more than three decades of annual climate meetings, the crucial requirement to halt fossil fuel use has been mentioned only once – in a resolution made two years ago at the Dubai climate summit to "move beyond fossil fuels". Officials from the Gulf states, Russia, and several other countries were adamant this would not occur another time.

Mounting support for change

Simultaneously, a increasing coalition of countries were just as committed that movement on this issue was urgently necessary. They had developed a proposal that was earning increasing support and made it apparent they were willing to stand their ground.

Less wealthy nations strongly sought to move forward on securing funding support to help them manage the growing impacts of environmental crises.

Critical moment

During the night of Saturday, some delegates were ready to withdraw and force a collapse. "It was on the edge for us," remarked one energy minister. "I was ready to walk away."

The critical development occurred through talks with Saudi Arabia. Around 6am, principal delegates split from the main group to hold a private conversation with the chief Saudi negotiator. They encouraged language that would indirectly acknowledge the global commitment to "shift from fossil fuels" made two years earlier in Dubai.

Surprising consensus

As opposed to explicitly referencing fossil fuels, the text would refer to "the previous commitment". Upon deliberation, the Saudi delegation unexpectedly approved the wording.

Delegates collapsed into relief. Applause rang out. The settlement was completed.

With what became known as the "Amazon accord", the world took a modest advance towards the systematic reduction of fossil fuels – a faltering, insufficient step that will scarcely affect the climate's steady march towards disaster. But nevertheless a notable change from total inaction.

Major components of the agreement

• Alongside the indirect reference in the official document, countries will start developing a roadmap to phase out fossil fuels
• This will be largely a non-binding program led by Brazil that will provide updates next year
• Addressing the essential decreases in greenhouse gas emissions to not exceed the 1.5C limit was also put off to next year
• Developing countries secured a tripling to $120bn of yearly funding to help them manage the impacts of extreme weather
• This funding will not be delivered in full until 2035
• Workers will benefit from a "just transition mechanism" to help people working in high-carbon industries move toward the renewable industry

Varied responses

While our planet hovers near the brink of climate "irreversible changes" that could devastate environments and force whole regions into chaos, the agreement was insufficient as the "major breakthrough" needed.

"Cop30 gave us some modest progress in the right direction, but considering the severity of the climate crisis, it has fallen short of the occasion," cautioned one environmental analyst.

This imperfect deal might have been all that was possible, given the international tensions – including a Washington administration who shunned the talks and remains committed to oil and coal, the increasing presence of conservative movements, ongoing conflicts in various areas, intolerable levels of inequality, and global economic uncertainty.

"Fossil fuel corporations – the fossil fuel giants – were at last in the focus at these negotiations," comments one environmental advocate. "There is no turning back on that. The opportunity is accessible. Now we must turn it into a real fire escape to a protected environment."

Major disagreements revealed

Even as nations were able to applaud the gavelling through of the deal, Cop30 also highlighted major disagreements in the only global process for confronting the climate crisis.

"UN negotiations are agreement-dependent, and in a period of international tensions, consensus is progressively challenging to reach," stated one international diplomat. "I cannot pretend that this summit has achieved complete success that is needed. The disparity between present circumstances and what science demands remains dangerously wide."

If the world is to prevent the most severe impacts of climate breakdown, the international negotiations alone will fall far short.