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When dawn crept over the Amazonian city of Belém on Saturday morning, negotiators remained confined 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 ranging from the poorest nations to the most developed economies.

Patience wore thin, the air stifling as exhausted delegates confronted the sobering reality: they would not reach a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The 30th UN climate conference faced the brink of abject failure.

The central impasse: Fossil fuels

Research has demonstrated for well over a century, the carbon dioxide produced by consuming fossil fuels is warming our planet to critical levels.

Yet, during over three decades of annual climate meetings, the essential necessity to halt fossil fuel use has been referenced only once – in a decision made two years ago at the Dubai climate summit to "shift from fossil fuels". Representatives from the Gulf states, Russia, and several other countries were adamant this would not be repeated.

Increasing pressure for change

Simultaneously, a increasing coalition of countries were similarly resolved that advancement on this issue was crucially important. They had formulated a proposal that was earning growing support and made it clear they were willing to stand their ground.

Less wealthy nations urgently needed to move forward on securing funding support to help them address the increasingly severe impacts of extreme weather.

Turning point

By the early hours of Saturday, some delegates were ready to withdraw and trigger failure. "It was on the edge for us," stated one energy minister. "I was ready to walk away."

The breakthrough occurred through negotiations with Saudi Arabia. Around 6am, principal delegates split from the main group to hold a closed-door meeting with the lead Saudi negotiator. They encouraged wording that would subtly reference the global commitment to "shift from fossil fuels" made two years earlier in Dubai.

Surprising consensus

As opposed to explicitly mentioning fossil fuels, the text would refer to "the Dubai agreement". After consideration, the Saudi delegation unforeseeably accepted the wording.

Participants showed visible relief. Applause rang out. The agreement was completed.

With what became known as the "Belém political package", the world took another small step towards the systematic reduction of fossil fuels – a faltering, limited step that will scarcely affect the climate's continued progression towards catastrophe. But nevertheless a important shift from complete stagnation.

Important aspects of the agreement

• Complementing the indirect reference in the official document, countries will begin work a framework to gradually eliminate fossil fuels
• This will be primarily a voluntary initiative led by Brazil that will deliver findings next year
• Addressing the required reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to stay within the 1.5C limit was likewise deferred to next year
• Developing countries secured a significant expansion to $120bn of annual finance to help them cope with the impacts of extreme weather
• This amount will not be delivered in full until 2035
• Workers will benefit from a "equitable change process" to help people working in high-carbon industries shift to the sustainable sector

Varied responses

While our planet approaches the brink of climate "critical thresholds" that could eliminate habitats and plunge whole regions into chaos, the agreement was far from the "major breakthrough" needed.

"Cop30 gave us some modest progress in the right direction, but given the severity of the climate crisis, it has fallen short of the occasion," warned one policy director.

This limited deal might have been all that was possible, given the geopolitical headwinds – including a US president who ignored the talks and remains committed to oil and coal, the increasing presence of nationalist politics, continuing wars in multiple regions, unacceptable degrees of inequality, and global economic instability.

"Fossil fuel corporations – the energy conglomerates – were at last in the spotlight at these negotiations," notes one policy convener. "This represents progress on that. The opportunity is available. Now we must convert it to a genuine solution to a more secure planet."

Significant divisions revealed

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

"UN negotiations are consensus-based, and in a time of global disagreements, agreement is ever harder to reach," observed one global leader. "It would be dishonest to claim that these talks has achieved complete success that is needed. The gap between our current position and what evidence necessitates remains alarmingly large."

Should the world is to prevent the gravest consequences of climate collapse, the UN climate talks alone will fall far short.