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As dawn was breaking the Amazonian city of Belém on Saturday morning, representatives remained stuck in a windowless conference room, uncertain whether it was day or night. Having spent 12 hours in tense discussions, with numerous ministers representing multiple blocs of countries from the most vulnerable nations to the wealthiest economies.

Frustration mounted, the air thick as weary 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 total collapse.

The sticking point: Fossil fuels

Research has demonstrated for well over a century, the greenhouse gases produced by consuming fossil fuels is increasing temperatures on our planet to alarming levels.

However, during over three decades of annual climate meetings, the urgent need to halt fossil fuel use has been addressed only once – in a decision made two years ago at the Dubai climate summit to "move beyond fossil fuels". Representatives from the Middle Eastern nations, Russia, and a few other countries were adamant this would not happen again.

Mounting support for change

At the same time, a expanding group of countries were just as committed that advancement on this issue was urgently necessary. They had formulated a initiative that was earning expanding support and made it evident they were ready to stand their ground.

Developing countries strongly sought to move forward on securing funding support to help them manage the already disastrous impacts of extreme weather.

Breaking point

By the early hours of Saturday, some delegates were ready to leave and cause breakdown. "The situation was precarious for us," remarked one national delegate. "I considered to walk away."

The breakthrough occurred through discussions with Saudi Arabia. Shortly after 6am, key negotiators left the main group to hold a confidential discussion with the head Saudi negotiator. They encouraged language that would subtly reference the global commitment to "move beyond fossil fuels" made two years earlier in Dubai.

Unanticipated resolution

Rather than explicitly mentioning fossil fuels, the text would refer to "the Dubai agreement". Following reflection, the Saudi delegation surprisingly approved the wording.

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

With what became known as the "Belém political package", the world took an incremental move towards the phaseout of fossil fuels – a faltering, limited step that will barely interrupt the climate's continued progression towards catastrophe. But nevertheless a significant departure from absolute paralysis.

Important aspects of the agreement

• In addition to the indirect reference in the legally agreed text, countries will start developing a roadmap to phase out fossil fuels
• This will be primarily a voluntary initiative led by Brazil that will provide updates next year
• Addressing the essential decreases in greenhouse gas emissions to stay within the 1.5C limit was also put off to next year
• Developing countries secured a threefold increase to $120bn of regular financial support to help them manage the impacts of extreme weather
• This funding will not be delivered in full until 2035
• Workers will benefit from a "equitable change process" to help people working in high-carbon industries transition to the sustainable sector

Varied responses

As the world approaches the brink of climate "tipping points" that could destroy ecosystems and plunge whole regions into chaos, the agreement was far from the "giant leap" needed.

"Cop30 gave us some small advances in the right direction, but considering the scale of the climate crisis, it has failed to rise to the occasion," cautioned one policy director.

This flawed deal might have been the best attainable, given the political challenges – including a American leader who shunned the talks and remains wedded to oil and coal, the increasing presence of nationalist politics, persistent fighting in different locations, extreme measures of inequality, and global economic uncertainty.

"The climate arsonists – the energy conglomerates – were finally in the spotlight at Cop30," comments one environmental advocate. "There is no turning back on that. The political space is available. Now we must transform it into a actual pathway to a protected environment."

Deep fissures revealed

Even as nations were able to applaud the gavelling through of the deal, Cop30 also highlighted major disagreements in the sole international mechanism for tackling the climate crisis.

"Climate conferences are unanimity-required, and in a era of global disagreements, agreement is ever harder to reach," observed one international diplomat. "I cannot pretend that this summit has provided all that is needed. The disparity between present circumstances and what research requires remains concerningly substantial."

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