🔗 Share this article

As dawn illuminated the Amazonian city of Belém on Saturday morning, delegates remained stuck in a windowless conference room, oblivious whether it was day or night. Having spent 12 hours in strained discussions, with scores ministers representing 17 groups of countries including the poorest nations to the richest economies.

Tempers were short, the air stifling as exhausted delegates faced up to the grim reality: they were unlikely to achieve a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The international climate negotiations teetered on the brink of total collapse.

The sticking point: Fossil fuels

Research has demonstrated for well over a century, the carbon dioxide produced by burning fossil fuels is warming our planet to alarming levels.

However, during over three decades of annual climate meetings, the urgent need to halt fossil fuel use has been addressed only once – in a decision made two years ago at previous UN climate talks to "transition away from fossil fuels". Delegates from the Gulf states, Russia, and multiple other countries were adamant this would not happen again.

Mounting support for change

At the same time, a growing number 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 willing to dig in.

Emerging economies desperately wanted to make progress on securing economic resources to help them cope with the growing impacts of environmental crises.

Critical moment

By the early hours of Saturday, some delegates were prepared to withdraw and force a collapse. "We were close for us," remarked one energy minister. "I was ready to walk away."

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

Unanticipated resolution

As opposed to explicitly mentioning fossil fuels, the text would refer to "the UAE consensus". After consideration, the Saudi delegation unexpectedly approved the wording.

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

With what became known as the "Belém political package", the world took another small step towards the phaseout of fossil fuels – a faltering, inadequate step that will scarcely affect the climate's continued progression towards disaster. But nevertheless a notable change from complete stagnation.

Major components of the agreement

• In addition to the indirect reference in the official document, countries will start developing a framework to phase out fossil fuels
• This will be primarily a optional undertaking led by Brazil that will deliver findings next year
• Addressing the necessary cuts in greenhouse gas emissions to remain below the 1.5C limit was likewise deferred to next year
• Developing countries secured a significant expansion to $120bn of regular financial support to help them manage the impacts of climate disasters
• This sum will not be completely provided until 2035
• Workers will benefit from a "fair adjustment program" to help people working in fossil fuel sectors shift to the sustainable sector

Varied responses

While our planet approaches the brink of climate "tipping points" that could devastate environments and plunge whole regions into chaos, the agreement was not the "major breakthrough" needed.

"The summit provided some small advances in the right direction, but in light of the scale of the climate crisis, it has failed to rise to the occasion," warned one environmental analyst.

This imperfect deal might have been the maximum achievable, given the political challenges – including a American leader who avoided the talks and remains wedded to oil and coal, the increasing presence of nationalist politics, persistent fighting in multiple regions, extreme measures of inequality, and global economic instability.

"The climate arsonists – the energy conglomerates – were at last in the crosshairs at the climate summit," says one climate activist. "This represents progress on that. The political space is available. Now we must convert it to a real fire escape to a protected environment."

Significant divisions 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 tackling the climate crisis.

"International summits are consensus-based, and in a era of geopolitical divides, agreement is ever harder to reach," commented one international diplomat. "We should not suggest that these talks has provided all that is needed. The disparity between present circumstances and what research requires remains dangerously wide."

If the world is to avert the worst ravages of climate breakdown, the UN climate talks alone will not be nearly enough.