🔗 Share this article

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

Patience wore thin, the air stifling as weary delegates confronted the grim reality: they would not reach a comprehensive agreement in Brazil. The latest global climate summit faced the brink of complete breakdown.

The sticking point: Fossil fuels

As science has told us for well over a century, the carbon dioxide produced by burning fossil fuels is warming our planet to dangerous levels.

However, during nearly three decades of yearly climate meetings, the crucial requirement to cease fossil fuel use has been referenced only once – in a resolution made two years ago at the Dubai climate summit to "shift from fossil fuels". Representatives from the Gulf states, Russia, and multiple other countries were resolved this would not happen again.

Mounting support for change

Simultaneously, a expanding group of countries were similarly resolved that movement on this issue was crucially important. They had created a initiative that was gathering increasing support and made it apparent they were willing to hold firm.

Emerging economies strongly sought to move forward on securing funding support to help them address the growing impacts of environmental crises.

Turning point

During the night of Saturday, some delegates were ready to walk out and trigger failure. "We were close for us," remarked one energy minister. "I was prepared to walk away."

The critical development occurred through talks with Saudi Arabia. Shortly after 6am, senior representatives split from the main group to hold a closed-door meeting with the head Saudi negotiator. They urged wording that would indirectly acknowledge the global commitment to "shift from fossil fuels" made two years earlier in Dubai.

Unexpected agreement

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

The room expressed relief. Celebrations began. The agreement was done.

With what became known as the "Belém political package", the world took a modest advance towards the phaseout of fossil fuels – a faltering, insufficient step that will barely interrupt the climate's steady march towards disaster. But nevertheless a significant departure from complete stagnation.

Important aspects of the agreement

• In addition to the indirect reference in the formal agreement, countries will commence creating a roadmap to phase out fossil fuels
• This will be mostly a voluntary initiative led by Brazil that will deliver findings next year
• Addressing the required reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to remain below the 1.5C limit was likewise deferred to next year
• Developing countries obtained a tripling to $120bn of annual finance to help them manage the impacts of extreme weather
• This sum will not be completely provided until 2035
• Workers will benefit from a "just transition mechanism" to help people working in polluting businesses move toward the sustainable sector

Differing opinions

While our planet approaches the brink of climate "tipping points" that could devastate environments and plunge whole regions into crisis, the agreement was far from the "significant advancement" needed.

"Negotiators delivered some small advances in the right direction, but considering the severity of the climate crisis, it has fallen short of the occasion," cautioned one environmental analyst.

This flawed deal might have been the maximum achievable, given the geopolitical headwinds – including a American leader who avoided the talks and remains aligned with oil and coal, the increasing presence of conservative movements, continuing wars in different locations, extreme measures of inequality, and global economic instability.

"Major polluters – the fossil fuel giants – were at last in the spotlight at these negotiations," comments one environmental advocate. "This represents progress on that. The political space is accessible. Now we must transform it into a genuine solution to a more secure planet."

Significant divisions revealed

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

"International summits are unanimity-required, and in a era of global disagreements, consensus is increasingly difficult to reach," stated one global leader. "I cannot pretend that these talks has provided all that is needed. The gap between present circumstances and what research requires remains alarmingly large."

If the world is to prevent the worst ravages of climate breakdown, the global discussions alone will fall far short.