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As dawn crept over the Amazonian city of Belém on Saturday morning, representatives remained stuck in a enclosed conference room, uncertain whether it was day or night. They had been 12 hours in tense discussions, with dozens ministers representing multiple blocs of countries including the most vulnerable nations to the most developed economies.

Frustration mounted, the air stifling as exhausted delegates confronted the grim reality: they would not reach a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The international climate negotiations faced the brink of complete breakdown.

The sticking point: Fossil fuels

As science has told us for nearly a century, the CO2 emissions produced by consuming fossil fuels is warming our planet to alarming levels.

Nevertheless, during more than three decades of yearly climate meetings, the urgent need to stop fossil fuel use has been mentioned only once – in a resolution made two years ago at Cop28 to "transition away from fossil fuels". Delegates from the Middle Eastern nations, Russia, and several other countries were resolved this would not happen again.

Growing momentum for change

Meanwhile, a growing number of countries were equally determined that advancement on this issue was vitally needed. They had created a plan that was gathering increasing support and made it clear they were ready to hold firm.

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

Critical moment

During the night of Saturday, some delegates were prepared to leave and cause breakdown. "We were close for us," commented one government representative. "I was prepared to walk away."

The critical development occurred through talks with Saudi Arabia. Shortly after 6am, principal delegates left the main group to hold a private conversation with the head Saudi negotiator. They pressed text that would indirectly acknowledge the global commitment to "shift from fossil fuels" made two years earlier in Dubai.

Unanticipated resolution

Instead of explicitly referencing fossil fuels, the text would refer to "the previous commitment". Upon deliberation, the Saudi delegation unforeseeably approved the wording.

Participants showed visible relief. Celebrations began. The deal was done.

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

Key elements of the agreement

• Complementing the indirect reference in the formal agreement, countries will start developing a plan to gradually eliminate fossil fuels
• This will be largely a non-binding program led by Brazil that will deliver findings next year
• Addressing the required reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to not exceed the 1.5C limit was similarly postponed to next year
• Developing countries secured a tripling to $120bn of regular financial support to help them manage the impacts of climate disasters
• This amount will not be fully available until 2035
• Workers will benefit from a "equitable change process" to help people working in high-carbon industries shift to the clean economy

Varied responses

While our planet hovers near the brink of climate "irreversible changes" that could devastate environments and plunge whole regions into disorder, the agreement was not the "significant advancement" needed.

"The summit provided some baby steps in the proper course, but in light of the scale of the climate crisis, it has fallen short of the occasion," stated one policy director.

This flawed deal might have been all that was possible, given the international tensions – including a US president who avoided the talks and remains aligned with oil and coal, the growing influence of conservative movements, persistent fighting in multiple regions, unacceptable degrees of inequality, and global economic instability.

"The climate arsonists – the oil and gas companies – were at last in the focus at these negotiations," notes one environmental advocate. "This represents progress on that. The opportunity is available. Now we must convert it to a genuine solution to a more secure planet."

Major disagreements revealed

While nations were able to celebrate the official adoption of the deal, Cop30 also revealed significant divisions in the only global process for addressing the climate crisis.

"UN negotiations are unanimity-required, and in a era of global disagreements, agreement is increasingly difficult to reach," observed one international diplomat. "I cannot pretend that this summit has achieved complete success that is needed. The difference between present circumstances and what evidence necessitates remains concerningly substantial."

When the world is to avoid the worst ravages of climate collapse, the international negotiations alone will not be nearly enough.