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While dawn was breaking the Amazonian city of Belém on Saturday morning, negotiators remained stuck in a windowless conference room, unaware whether it was day or night. Having spent 12 hours in strained discussions, with dozens ministers representing various coalitions of countries from the least developed nations to the richest economies.

Patience wore thin, the air stifling as weary delegates confronted the grim reality: they were unlikely to achieve a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The 30th UN climate conference hovered near the brink of abject failure.

The major obstacle: Fossil fuels

Research has demonstrated for nearly a century, the CO2 emissions produced by burning fossil fuels is heating up our planet to alarming levels.

Nevertheless, during more than three decades of yearly climate meetings, the essential necessity to cease 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 Middle Eastern nations, Russia, and a few other countries were adamant this would not occur another time.

Increasing pressure for change

At the same time, a increasing coalition of countries were equally determined that movement on this issue was crucially important. They had formulated a proposal that was earning increasing support and made it clear they were willing to stand their ground.

Emerging economies strongly sought to move forward on securing financial assistance to help them address the growing impacts of climate disasters.

Critical moment

By the early hours of Saturday, some delegates were willing to walk out and trigger failure. "It was on the edge for us," commented one national delegate. "I was prepared to walk away."

The pivotal moment happened through talks with Saudi Arabia. Around 6am, principal delegates left the main group to hold a confidential discussion with the chief Saudi negotiator. They urged text that would indirectly acknowledge the global commitment to "move beyond fossil fuels" made two years earlier in Dubai.

Unexpected agreement

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

Participants collapsed into relief. Applause rang out. The deal was completed.

With what became known as the "Brazil agreement", the world took a modest advance towards the phaseout of fossil fuels – a hesitant, limited step that will scarcely affect the climate's steady march towards catastrophe. But nevertheless a important shift from total inaction.

Key elements of the agreement

• Alongside 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 report back next year
• Addressing the necessary cuts in greenhouse gas emissions to stay within the 1.5C limit was similarly postponed to next year
• Developing countries achieved a tripling to $120bn of annual finance to help them manage the impacts of extreme weather
• This amount will not be completely provided until 2035
• Workers will benefit from a "equitable change process" to help people working in fossil fuel sectors move toward the clean economy

Differing opinions

While our planet teeters on the brink of climate "critical thresholds" that could eliminate habitats and plunge whole regions into chaos, the agreement was not the "giant leap" needed.

"Negotiators delivered some small advances in the right direction, but considering the magnitude of the climate crisis, it has failed to rise to the occasion," stated one policy director.

This flawed deal might have been the best attainable, given the political challenges – including a American leader who avoided the talks and remains aligned with oil and coal, the increasing presence of nationalist politics, continuing wars in different locations, extreme measures of inequality, and global economic instability.

"Fossil fuel corporations – the energy conglomerates – were at last in the spotlight at the climate summit," comments one climate activist. "This represents progress on that. The opportunity is accessible. Now we must turn it into a genuine solution to a safer world."

Major disagreements revealed

Even as nations were able to applaud the formal approval of the deal, Cop30 also revealed significant divisions in the only global process for confronting the climate crisis.

"International summits are agreement-dependent, and in a period of global disagreements, unanimity is progressively challenging to reach," stated one global leader. "It would be dishonest to claim that these talks has delivered everything that is needed. The disparity between our current position and what evidence necessitates remains concerningly substantial."

Should the world is to avert the most severe impacts of climate crisis, the global discussions alone will prove insufficient.