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While dawn crept over the Amazonian city of Belém on Saturday morning, delegates remained trapped in a windowless conference room, uncertain whether it was day or night. They had been 12 hours in difficult discussions, with numerous ministers representing 17 groups of countries including the poorest nations to the wealthiest economies.

Frustration mounted, the air heavy as exhausted delegates acknowledged the sobering reality: they would not reach a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The latest global climate summit teetered on the brink of total collapse.

The major obstacle: Fossil fuels

As science has told us for more than a century, the CO2 emissions produced by utilizing fossil fuels is warming our planet to critical levels.

Nevertheless, during more than three decades of annual climate meetings, the urgent need to cease fossil fuel use has been mentioned only once – in a decision made two years ago at previous UN climate talks to "transition away from fossil fuels". Delegates from the Middle Eastern nations, Russia, and a few other countries were resolved this would not happen again.

Mounting support for change

Meanwhile, a expanding group of countries were similarly resolved that movement on this issue was crucially important. They had developed a initiative that was earning growing support and made it clear they were ready to hold firm.

Developing countries strongly sought to advance on securing financial assistance to help them address the increasingly severe impacts of extreme weather.

Breaking point

During the night of Saturday, some delegates were prepared to withdraw and trigger failure. "The situation was precarious for us," commented one energy minister. "I was ready to walk away."

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

Unexpected agreement

Rather than explicitly namechecking fossil fuels, the text would refer to "the previous commitment". After consideration, the Saudi delegation unexpectedly accepted the wording.

Delegates expressed relief. Cheers erupted. The deal was finalized.

With what became known as the "Amazon accord", the world took another small step towards the phaseout of fossil fuels – a faltering, limited step that will minimally impact the climate's ongoing trajectory towards catastrophe. But nevertheless a notable change from complete stagnation.

Major components of the agreement

• In addition to the subtle acknowledgment in the legally agreed text, countries will start developing a plan to systematically reduce fossil fuels
• This will be primarily a voluntary initiative led by Brazil that will report back next year
• Addressing the required reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to not exceed the 1.5C limit was also put off to next year
• Developing countries achieved a threefold increase to $120bn of regular financial support to help them adapt to the impacts of extreme weather
• This sum will not be delivered in full until 2035
• Workers will benefit from a "just transition mechanism" to help people working in fossil fuel sectors shift to the sustainable sector

Varied responses

With global conditions approaches the brink of climate "tipping points" that could devastate environments and throw whole regions into disorder, the agreement was insufficient as the "giant leap" needed.

"Negotiators delivered some baby steps in the right direction, but given the magnitude of the climate crisis, it has not met the occasion," warned one environmental analyst.

This limited deal might have been the best attainable, given the international tensions – including a US president who shunned the talks and remains wedded to oil and coal, the increasing presence of nationalist politics, persistent fighting in different locations, intolerable levels of inequality, and global economic volatility.

"Fossil fuel corporations – the oil and gas companies – were at last in the crosshairs at Cop30," comments one climate activist. "We have crossed a threshold on that. The platform is open. Now we must convert it to a actual pathway to a protected environment."

Deep fissures revealed

While nations were able to celebrate the gavelling through of the deal, Cop30 also revealed major disagreements in the sole international mechanism for tackling the climate crisis.

"Climate conferences are unanimity-required, and in a time of international tensions, unanimity is progressively challenging to reach," commented one global leader. "It would be dishonest to claim that this summit 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 gravest consequences of climate breakdown, the UN climate talks alone will not be nearly enough.