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As dawn was breaking the Amazonian city of Belém on Saturday morning, delegates remained confined in a windowless conference room, uncertain whether it was day or night. Having spent 12 hours in difficult discussions, with numerous ministers representing 17 groups of countries ranging from the most vulnerable nations to the wealthiest economies.

Tempers were short, the air stifling as sweaty delegates faced up to the grim reality: there would not be a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The 30th UN climate conference hovered near the brink of abject failure.

The major obstacle: Fossil fuels

Scientific evidence has shown for nearly a century, the CO2 emissions produced by consuming fossil fuels is warming our planet to critical levels.

Yet, during more than three decades of yearly climate meetings, the urgent need to stop fossil fuel use has been referenced only once – in a agreement made two years ago at Cop28 to "move beyond fossil fuels". Representatives from the Middle Eastern nations, Russia, and multiple other countries were determined this would not happen again.

Mounting support for change

Meanwhile, a expanding group of countries were similarly resolved that progress on this issue was crucially important. They had created a plan that was gathering growing support and made it clear they were willing to dig in.

Less wealthy nations strongly sought to advance on securing financial assistance to help them manage the already disastrous impacts of extreme weather.

Critical moment

In the pre-dawn period of Saturday, some delegates were prepared to leave and trigger failure. "We were close for us," stated one energy minister. "I was ready to walk away."

The pivotal moment came through talks with Saudi Arabia. Around 6am, senior representatives split from the main group to hold a closed-door meeting with the lead Saudi negotiator. They encouraged wording that would indirectly acknowledge the global commitment to "shift from fossil fuels" made two years earlier in Dubai.

Unexpected agreement

Instead of explicitly namechecking fossil fuels, the text would refer to "the Dubai agreement". After consideration, the Saudi delegation unforeseeably agreed to the wording.

The room expressed relief. Cheers erupted. The settlement was completed.

With what became known as the "Belém political package", the world took another small step towards the phaseout of fossil fuels – a hesitant, inadequate step that will minimally impact the climate's steady march towards disaster. But nevertheless a important shift from complete stagnation.

Key elements of the agreement

• Complementing the oblique commitment in the legally agreed text, countries will start developing a roadmap to systematically reduce fossil fuels
• This will be mostly a non-binding program led by Brazil that will deliver findings next year
• Addressing the essential decreases in greenhouse gas emissions to not exceed the 1.5C limit was likewise deferred to next year
• Developing countries obtained a threefold increase to $120bn of annual finance to help them adapt to the impacts of climate disasters
• This funding will not be delivered in full until 2035
• Workers will benefit from a "just transition mechanism" to help people working in high-carbon industries move toward the renewable industry

Mixed reactions

While our planet teeters on the brink of climate "tipping points" that could devastate environments and throw whole regions into disorder, the agreement was far from the "significant advancement" needed.

"Cop30 gave us some small advances in the right direction, but considering the magnitude of the climate crisis, it has fallen short of the occasion," warned one environmental analyst.

This flawed deal might have been all that was possible, given the geopolitical headwinds – including a US president who ignored the talks and remains aligned with oil and coal, the rising tide of conservative movements, persistent fighting in multiple regions, extreme measures of inequality, and global economic instability.

"Fossil fuel corporations – the fossil fuel giants – were at last in the focus at Cop30," comments one climate activist. "We have crossed a threshold on that. The platform is open. Now we must convert it to a actual pathway to a protected environment."

Major disagreements revealed

Although nations were able to celebrate the formal approval of the deal, Cop30 also exposed major disagreements in the primary worldwide framework for tackling the climate crisis.

"International summits are agreement-dependent, and in a era of international tensions, unanimity is increasingly difficult to reach," commented one senior UN official. "We should not suggest that Cop30 has delivered everything that is needed. The gap between our current position and what science demands remains alarmingly large."

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