🔗 Share this article 'Major polluters face mounting pressure': Cop30 prevents utter breakdown with eleventh-hour deal. As dawn was breaking the Amazonian city of Belém on Saturday morning, negotiators remained trapped in a windowless conference room, unaware whether it was day or night. For more than 12 hours in strained discussions, with scores ministers representing 17 groups of countries from the most vulnerable nations to the most developed economies. Tempers were short, the air heavy as weary delegates faced up to the grim reality: they were unlikely to achieve a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The latest global climate summit hovered near the brink of complete breakdown. The central impasse: 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. Nevertheless, during more than three decades of regular climate meetings, the crucial requirement to halt fossil fuel use has been mentioned only once – in a resolution made two years ago at previous UN climate talks to "shift from fossil fuels". Representatives from the Middle Eastern nations, Russia, and several other countries were adamant this would not be repeated. Increasing pressure for change Simultaneously, a expanding group of countries were just as committed that movement on this issue was crucially important. They had created a initiative that was gathering growing support and made it clear they were ready to dig in. Developing countries desperately wanted to advance on securing economic resources to help them manage the growing impacts of climate disasters. Breaking point During the night of Saturday, some delegates were prepared to leave and force a collapse. "We were close for us," commented one government representative. "I considered to walk away." The breakthrough happened through talks with Saudi Arabia. Around 6am, principal delegates separated from the main group to hold a confidential discussion with the head Saudi negotiator. They urged text that would indirectly acknowledge the global commitment to "transition away from fossil fuels" made two years earlier in Dubai. Unanticipated resolution As opposed to explicitly mentioning fossil fuels, the text would refer to "the previous commitment". Upon deliberation, the Saudi delegation surprisingly approved the wording. The room expressed relief. Celebrations began. The deal was completed. With what became known as the "Brazil agreement", the world took another small step towards the systematic reduction of fossil fuels – a uncertain, insufficient step that will barely interrupt the climate's continued progression towards catastrophe. But nevertheless a notable change from complete stagnation. Important aspects of the agreement Alongside the oblique commitment in the legally agreed text, countries will commence creating 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 also put off to next year Developing countries obtained a threefold increase to $120bn of yearly funding to help them cope with the impacts of environmental crises This sum will not be completely provided until 2035 Workers will benefit from a "equitable change process" to help people working in high-carbon industries shift to the renewable industry Differing opinions With global conditions hovers near the brink of climate "critical thresholds" that could devastate environments and force whole regions into disorder, the agreement was far from the "significant advancement" needed. "Negotiators delivered some small advances in the correct path, but considering the scale of the climate crisis, it has fallen short of the occasion," stated one policy director. This imperfect deal might have been the maximum achievable, given the international tensions – including a US president who ignored the talks and remains aligned with oil and coal, the increasing presence of conservative movements, ongoing conflicts in different locations, extreme measures of inequality, and global economic instability. "Major polluters – the energy conglomerates – were finally in the spotlight at these negotiations," comments one policy convener. "There is no turning back on that. The opportunity is available. Now we must transform it into a genuine solution to a safer world." Deep fissures revealed Even as nations were able to applaud the formal approval of the deal, Cop30 also highlighted deep fissures in the only global process for confronting the climate crisis. "International summits are consensus-based, and in a time of international tensions, consensus is progressively challenging to reach," commented one senior UN official. "We should not suggest that this summit has provided all that is needed. The disparity between where we are and what research requires remains alarmingly large." If the world is to avoid the gravest consequences of climate breakdown, the UN climate talks alone will not be nearly enough.