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While dawn illuminated the Amazonian city of Belém on Saturday morning, representatives remained trapped in a airless conference room, unaware whether it was day or night. They had been 12 hours in tense discussions, with dozens ministers representing multiple blocs of countries from the most vulnerable nations to the wealthiest economies.

Tempers were short, the air heavy as exhausted delegates confronted the sobering reality: there would not be a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The latest global climate summit teetered on the brink of abject failure.

The sticking point: Fossil fuels

Scientific evidence has shown for well over a century, the greenhouse gases produced by utilizing fossil fuels is warming our planet to critical levels.

However, during nearly three decades of regular climate meetings, the essential necessity to stop fossil fuel use has been referenced only once – in a resolution made two years ago at previous UN climate talks to "shift from fossil fuels". Officials from the Middle Eastern nations, Russia, and a few other countries were adamant this would not happen again.

Growing momentum for change

Simultaneously, a increasing coalition of countries were similarly resolved that advancement on this issue was urgently necessary. They had developed a initiative that was attracting growing support and made it apparent they were ready to dig in.

Developing countries desperately wanted to advance on securing financial assistance to help them address the growing impacts of extreme weather.

Breaking point

In the pre-dawn period of Saturday, some delegates were willing to walk out and force a collapse. "The situation was precarious for us," commented one government representative. "I was ready to walk away."

The pivotal moment occurred through discussions with Saudi Arabia. Near 6am, key negotiators split from the main group to hold a confidential discussion with the lead Saudi negotiator. They encouraged text that would subtly reference the global commitment to "move beyond fossil fuels" made two years earlier in Dubai.

Unanticipated resolution

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

Delegates showed visible relief. Celebrations began. The deal was completed.

With what became known as the "Belém political package", the world took an incremental move towards the systematic reduction of fossil fuels – a uncertain, insufficient step that will barely interrupt the climate's steady march towards disaster. But nevertheless a important shift from complete stagnation.

Key elements of the agreement

• Complementing the subtle acknowledgment in the official document, countries will start developing a plan to phase out fossil fuels
• This will be largely a voluntary initiative led by Brazil that will report back next year
• Addressing the essential decreases in greenhouse gas emissions to remain below the 1.5C limit was similarly postponed to next year
• Developing countries secured a tripling to $120bn of yearly funding to help them cope with the impacts of climate disasters
• This amount will not be completely provided until 2035
• Workers will benefit from a "just transition mechanism" to help people working in fossil fuel sectors shift to the sustainable sector

Mixed reactions

As the world approaches the brink of climate "critical thresholds" that could devastate environments and force whole regions into crisis, the agreement was far from the "major breakthrough" needed.

"The summit provided some baby steps in the right direction, but given the magnitude of the climate crisis, it has fallen short of the occasion," warned one policy director.

This limited deal might have been the best attainable, given the political challenges – including a American leader who shunned the talks and remains aligned with oil and coal, the increasing presence of conservative movements, continuing wars in different locations, extreme measures of inequality, and global economic uncertainty.

"Fossil fuel corporations – the fossil fuel giants – were finally in the crosshairs at the climate summit," says one policy convener. "We have crossed a threshold on that. The political space is available. Now we must transform it into a genuine solution to a safer world."

Major disagreements revealed

Even as nations were able to welcome the gavelling through of the deal, Cop30 also exposed significant divisions in the primary worldwide framework for tackling the climate crisis.

"International summits are unanimity-required, and in a time of geopolitical divides, consensus is increasingly difficult to reach," stated one senior UN official. "I cannot pretend that Cop30 has delivered everything that is needed. The disparity between our current position and what science demands remains dangerously wide."

When the world is to prevent the most severe impacts of climate crisis, the global discussions alone will not be nearly enough.