🔗 Share this article

When dawn crept over the Amazonian city of Belém on Saturday morning, representatives remained stuck in a airless conference room, oblivious whether it was day or night. They had been 12 hours in difficult discussions, with dozens ministers representing 17 groups of countries from the most vulnerable nations to the most developed economies.

Patience wore thin, the air thick as sweaty delegates faced up to the harsh reality: they would not reach a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The latest global climate summit teetered on the brink of total collapse.

The sticking point: Fossil fuels

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

Yet, during nearly three decades of yearly climate meetings, the essential necessity to halt fossil fuel use has been addressed only once – in a resolution made two years ago at previous UN climate talks to "shift from fossil fuels". Delegates from the Arab Group, Russia, and several other countries were adamant this would not occur another time.

Growing momentum for change

Meanwhile, a expanding group of countries were similarly resolved that movement on this issue was crucially important. They had developed a plan that was gathering expanding support and made it clear they were ready to hold firm.

Less wealthy nations desperately wanted to make progress on securing funding support to help them cope with the already disastrous impacts of environmental crises.

Critical moment

By the early hours of Saturday, some delegates were willing to leave and cause breakdown. "We were close for us," remarked one government representative. "I considered to walk away."

The critical development occurred through talks with Saudi Arabia. Shortly after 6am, key negotiators separated from the main group to hold a closed-door meeting with the lead Saudi negotiator. They pressed language that would obliquely recognise the global commitment to "move beyond fossil fuels" made two years earlier in Dubai.

Unanticipated resolution

Rather than 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. Cheers erupted. The deal was finalized.

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

Key elements of the agreement

• In addition to the subtle acknowledgment in the legally agreed text, countries will begin work a plan to gradually eliminate fossil fuels
• This will be largely a optional undertaking led by Brazil that will report back next year
• Addressing the necessary cuts in greenhouse gas emissions to not exceed the 1.5C limit was also put off to next year
• Developing countries secured a tripling to $120bn of yearly funding to help them manage the impacts of environmental crises
• This amount will not be fully available until 2035
• Workers will benefit from a "just transition mechanism" to help people working in polluting businesses shift to the sustainable sector

Differing opinions

While our planet hovers near the brink of climate "critical thresholds" that could eliminate habitats and throw whole regions into chaos, the agreement was insufficient as the "major breakthrough" needed.

"The summit provided some small advances in the correct path, but given the severity of the climate crisis, it has failed to rise to the occasion," warned one climate expert.

This flawed deal might have been the best attainable, given the international tensions – including a Washington administration who avoided the talks and remains committed to oil and coal, the growing influence of nationalist politics, continuing wars in various areas, intolerable levels of inequality, and global economic instability.

"The climate arsonists – the fossil fuel giants – were ultimately in the crosshairs at these negotiations," says one policy convener. "This represents progress on that. The political space is available. Now we must convert it to a actual pathway to a protected environment."

Deep fissures revealed

Even as nations were able to celebrate the official adoption of the deal, Cop30 also revealed significant divisions in the sole international mechanism for confronting the climate crisis.

"Climate conferences are unanimity-required, and in a period of international tensions, consensus is ever harder to reach," stated one senior UN official. "We should not suggest that Cop30 has delivered everything that is needed. The difference between where we are and what evidence necessitates remains dangerously wide."

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