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When dawn was breaking the Amazonian city of Belém on Saturday morning, delegates remained confined in a enclosed conference room, unaware whether it was day or night. Having spent 12 hours in difficult discussions, with dozens ministers representing various coalitions of countries including the most vulnerable nations to the most developed economies.

Patience wore thin, the air thick as weary delegates faced up to the grim reality: there would not be a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The international climate negotiations hovered near the brink of abject failure.

The central impasse: Fossil fuels

Research has demonstrated for well over a century, the CO2 emissions produced by consuming fossil fuels is increasing temperatures on our planet to alarming levels.

Nevertheless, during nearly three decades of regular climate meetings, the essential necessity to stop fossil fuel use has been referenced only once – in a decision made two years ago at the Dubai climate summit to "move beyond fossil fuels". Representatives from the Gulf states, Russia, and a few other countries were determined this would not be repeated.

Mounting support for change

At the same time, a growing number of countries were equally determined that advancement on this issue was urgently necessary. They had created a initiative that was earning increasing support and made it evident they were willing to dig in.

Less wealthy nations desperately wanted to advance on securing financial assistance to help them address the increasingly severe impacts of climate disasters.

Critical moment

By the early hours of Saturday, some delegates were willing to leave and force a collapse. "The situation was precarious for us," stated one energy minister. "I was ready to walk away."

The pivotal moment came through talks with Saudi Arabia. Shortly after 6am, principal delegates separated from the main group to hold a closed-door meeting with the lead Saudi negotiator. They pressed text that would indirectly acknowledge the global commitment to "transition away from fossil fuels" made two years earlier in Dubai.

Unexpected agreement

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

Delegates collapsed into relief. Cheers erupted. The agreement was completed.

With what became known as the "Amazon accord", the world took an incremental move towards the gradual elimination of fossil fuels – a faltering, insufficient step that will minimally impact the climate's ongoing trajectory towards catastrophe. But nevertheless a notable change from complete stagnation.

Important aspects of the agreement

• Complementing the indirect reference in the official document, countries will commence creating 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 likewise deferred to next year
• Developing countries achieved a tripling to $120bn of regular financial support to help them cope with the impacts of extreme weather
• This sum 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 renewable industry

Mixed reactions

With global conditions approaches the brink of climate "irreversible changes" that could devastate environments and force whole regions into crisis, the agreement was far from the "significant advancement" needed.

"The summit provided some modest progress in the correct path, but considering the magnitude of the climate crisis, it has not met the occasion," warned one policy director.

This imperfect deal might have been the best attainable, given the international tensions – including a Washington administration who shunned the talks and remains committed to oil and coal, the growing influence of nationalist politics, ongoing conflicts in different locations, unacceptable degrees of inequality, and global economic uncertainty.

"Fossil fuel corporations – the fossil fuel giants – were finally in the spotlight at Cop30," says one policy convener. "This represents progress on that. The political space is accessible. Now we must convert it to a genuine solution to a safer world."

Deep fissures revealed

While nations were able to celebrate the gavelling through of the deal, Cop30 also highlighted deep fissures in the only global process for addressing the climate crisis.

"Climate conferences are consensus-based, and in a time of global disagreements, consensus is increasingly difficult to reach," stated one international diplomat. "It would be dishonest to claim that this summit has provided all that is needed. The difference between where we are and what evidence necessitates remains dangerously wide."

If the world is to prevent the gravest consequences of climate crisis, the international negotiations alone will not be nearly enough.