🔗 Share this article

As dawn was breaking the Amazonian city of Belém on Saturday morning, representatives remained trapped in a airless conference room, unaware whether it was day or night. For more than 12 hours in difficult discussions, with scores ministers representing 17 groups of countries from the poorest nations to the most developed economies.

Frustration mounted, the air thick as weary delegates acknowledged the grim reality: there would not be a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The latest global climate summit hovered near the brink of complete breakdown.

The sticking point: Fossil fuels

As science has told us for nearly a century, the CO2 emissions produced by utilizing fossil fuels is heating up our planet to dangerous levels.

However, during more than three decades of annual climate meetings, the crucial requirement to stop fossil fuel use has been mentioned only once – in a agreement made two years ago at previous UN climate talks to "move beyond fossil fuels". Officials from the Gulf states, Russia, and several other countries were adamant this would not occur another time.

Mounting support for change

At the same time, a increasing coalition of countries were equally determined that movement on this issue was urgently necessary. They had developed a initiative that was gathering growing support and made it apparent they were ready to dig in.

Emerging economies urgently needed to advance on securing financial assistance to help them manage the increasingly severe impacts of environmental crises.

Breaking point

By the early hours of Saturday, some delegates were ready to walk out and trigger failure. "The situation was precarious for us," remarked one energy minister. "I was ready to walk away."

The critical development occurred through negotiations with Saudi Arabia. Shortly after 6am, principal delegates split from the main group to hold a confidential discussion with the lead Saudi negotiator. They pressed text that would subtly reference the global commitment to "shift from fossil fuels" made two years earlier in Dubai.

Surprising consensus

Rather than explicitly referencing fossil fuels, the text would refer to "the Dubai agreement". Following reflection, the Saudi delegation unforeseeably agreed to the wording.

The room collapsed into relief. Cheers erupted. The deal was done.

With what became known as the "Brazil agreement", the world took a modest advance towards the systematic reduction of fossil fuels – a hesitant, insufficient step that will scarcely affect the climate's steady march towards catastrophe. But nevertheless a significant departure from absolute paralysis.

Major components of the agreement

• Complementing the subtle acknowledgment in the official document, countries will begin work a framework to gradually eliminate fossil fuels
• This will be largely a optional undertaking 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 also put off to next year
• Developing countries obtained a threefold increase to $120bn of regular financial support to help them adapt to the impacts of climate disasters
• This amount will not be completely provided until 2035
• Workers will benefit from a "fair adjustment program" to help people working in polluting businesses move toward the clean economy

Varied responses

As the world teeters on the brink of climate "critical thresholds" that could destroy ecosystems and force whole regions into crisis, the agreement was insufficient as the "giant leap" needed.

"The summit provided some baby steps in the right direction, but in light of the severity of the climate crisis, it has not met the occasion," warned one environmental analyst.

This imperfect deal might have been the best attainable, given the international tensions – including a US president who avoided the talks and remains aligned with oil and coal, the rising tide of conservative movements, ongoing conflicts in various areas, unacceptable degrees of inequality, and global economic uncertainty.

"The climate arsonists – the fossil fuel giants – were at last in the focus at the climate summit," says one policy convener. "There is no turning back on that. The opportunity is open. Now we must convert it to a real fire escape to a protected environment."

Significant divisions revealed

Even as nations were able to welcome the gavelling through of the deal, Cop30 also revealed deep fissures in the sole international mechanism for addressing the climate crisis.

"Climate conferences are unanimity-required, and in a time of global disagreements, consensus is increasingly difficult to reach," observed one global leader. "We should not suggest that these talks has delivered everything that is needed. The difference between present circumstances and what evidence necessitates remains dangerously wide."

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