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Brazil’s environment minister, the minister, has urged all nations to demonstrate the bravery needed to address the imperative of a global transition away from fossil fuels, labeling the development of a detailed plan as an “moral” answer to the climate crisis.

The minister stressed, though, that participation in this process would be optional and “independently decided” for interested nations.

The topic stands as one of the most debated subjects at the COP30 in Brazil, with countries divided over if and in what way such a strategy can be discussed. As the host, Brazil has maintained a balanced position on what can be placed on the official agenda.

Silva voiced support for the possibility of a roadmap, without explicitly committing the country to it. The minister remarked: “In times we have a terrain that is quite grim, it is good that we have a map. But the guide does not force us to travel, or to climb.”

In an interview, the minister noted: “The map is an response to our scientific knowledge [of the climate emergency]. It is an moral answer.”

Dozens of nations meeting in Belém for the UN climate summit, which is starting its next phase, are seeking to establish how a global transition of fossil fuels could work. These nations hope to advance a historic resolution made two years ago at a previous UN summit to “move away from non-renewable energy sources.”

That commitment lacked a schedule or details on how it could be achieved, and although it was passed unanimously, several nations have later attempted to back away from the pledge. Efforts last year to elaborate on its practical meaning were stymied by resistance from petrostates at another UN summit.

Consequently, there was no mention of the transition away from fossil fuels in the outcome of COP29.

For these reasons, Brazil has been cautious of demands by some countries to place the phaseout on the agenda for COP30. But the minister has strived behind the scenes to ensure the pledge could be discussed at the conference outside the formal program.

She won over the nation's leader, and he gave mention repeatedly to the need to “move away from reliance on fossil fuels” at the global leaders' meeting that preceded COP30, and at the start of the event.

“This is something that we know at a certain time had to be raised, because it is the sole way to face the issue from the root,” Marina Silva explained. “We recognise that it is not easy, and we cannot offer unrealistic expectations. Bringing up the topic is brave, and I wish [to see] this bravery from everyone, from producers and using countries.”

The nation had not started the call for a phaseout, she said, because that had been initiated at COP28. Instead, it was enabling the talks to occur in accordance with what some nations desired. “We know these subjects are delicate. We will provide the opportunity to discuss it,” the minister added.

Time is insufficient at the summit to create a roadmap, a task Silva called could take several years because numerous countries faced complicated challenges around reliance on carbon-based energy, or wanted to use the proceeds from selling fossil fuels to finance their economic growth.

“The country brings up the subject, because it is simultaneously a producing nation and user,” she noted. “But Brazil is unique, because Brazil, if it chooses to, does not have to rely on non-renewables. We have to understand that there are some that depend on carbon energy in their economies and don’t have simple solutions, and some where oil and gas are the basis of their economy.

“To be fair is to be just to all, but the essential, primordial fairness is not being unjust to the Earth, because it is our shared home.”

Should the proposal gains sufficient support, the summit could establish a forum in which the work of drawing up a roadmap to the phaseout could begin.

The process would involve discussions with all participating countries to the UN framework convention on climate change and criteria for how the initiative would proceed, the minister explained. “After we have criteria, a management framework can be drawn up; once we have a plan, and create safeguards to be able to establish trust in the process, I believe that with these elements we can transform positive concepts into steps that are more defined, and more concrete.”

There is no guarantee that a suggestion to begin drawing up a roadmap would win approval at COP30, although it may not need the formal approval of the conference, which proceeds by unanimous agreement and can be hijacked by special interests. Climate analysts have indicated they believe there could be backing for such a proposal from about sixty nations, but there are thought to be at least 40 against. There are one hundred ninety-five countries represented at the talks.

“Despite being the primary source of global warming, carbon-based energy are about the most contentious topic there is within the UN negotiations, so to see a sizable group of countries publicly supporting a path to realizing worldwide phaseout is in itself pretty groundbreaking.”

“In simple terms, there’s no route to a world where warming remains below 1.5 degrees in which nations aren’t able to talk about ending fossil fuel use.”

“We need this language for actual in this conversation. It’s highly illogical that we talk about everything but then when the main issue are the actual problem.”

Discussions continued on the weekend on several outstanding issues that have still not been included into the official schedule: trade, openness, finance and how to address the shortfall between the carbon reduction nations have proposed and those needed to hold to the 1.5-degree temperature limit.

The summit chair promised a “note” that would address these issues, after discussions – which have been going on since Monday – were unresolved. The official urged nations to adopt the “mutirão” attitude, meaning one of collaboration and constructive dialogue.

Work on other substantive topics – including adjustment to the effects of the climate crisis, the just transition for those affected by the move to a low-carbon economic system and how to build institutional capacity in developing countries – proceeded productively, the presidency said.

The host nation's chief negotiator said the technical phase of the summit process was approaching the end, and the high-level phase – when government leaders who have the power to change their nations' stances join – was beginning.