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Brazil’s environment minister, the minister, has called on every country to demonstrate the courage needed to confront the necessity of a global fossil fuel phaseout, labeling the development of a roadmap as an “ethical” response to the global warming emergency.

The minister emphasized, however, that involvement in this endeavor would be voluntary and “independently decided” for willing governments.

This issue stands as one of the most contentious matters at the UN climate summit in the host country, with countries divided over whether and how such a roadmap can be addressed. Hosting the event, Brazil has maintained a balanced stance on which items can be placed on the formal schedule.

The official voiced support for the possibility of a roadmap, though not directly committing Brazil to it. The minister stated: “When we have a situation that is quite grim, it is good that we have a guide. But the map does not compel us to travel, or to climb.”

In an interview, she noted: “The roadmap is an response to our scientific understanding [of the climate crisis]. It is an moral response.”

Scores of countries gathered in the host city for the global climate conference, which is starting its second week, are seeking to determine how a worldwide transition of fossil fuels could be implemented. They hope to advance a historic agreement made two years ago at a previous UN summit to “transition away from non-renewable energy sources.”

That pledge lacked a timetable or specifics on how it could be realized, and even though it was passed by all, some nations have later attempted to back away from the promise. Attempts last year to elaborate on its real-world implications were blocked by resistance from oil-dependent nations at another UN summit.

As a result, there was no mention of the shift away from fossil fuels in the outcome of COP29.

Because of this, the host has been wary of demands by certain countries to include the phaseout on the schedule for COP30. But Silva has worked hard in private to make sure the pledge could be discussed at the conference apart from the official program.

She convinced the nation's leader, and he made public reference three times to the need to “move away from reliance on fossil fuels” at the summit of world leaders that preceded COP30, and at the opening of the summit.

“This is something that we understand at a certain time had to be raised, because it is the only way to address the problem from the source,” the minister said. “We recognise that it is not easy, and we cannot sell unrealistic expectations. Raising the subject is courageous, and I wish [to see] this courage from everyone, from producing nations and using countries.”

The nation had not initiated the push for a phaseout, she clarified, because that had been initiated at the earlier summit. Instead, it was enabling the discussions to occur in line with what certain nations desired. “We know these topics are sensitive. We will give the chance to discuss it,” the minister added.

There is not enough time at the summit to draw up a detailed plan, a task Silva called could take several years because many nations confronted complicated challenges around dependence on fossil fuels, or wanted to use the proceeds from selling oil and gas to finance their economic growth.

“Brazil brings up the subject, because it is both a producer and consumer,” the minister said. “But the nation is unique, because Brazil, if it chooses to, does not have to depend on non-renewables. We have to understand that there are some that depend on fossil fuels in their economies and lack simple solutions, and others where fossil fuels are the foundation of their economic structure.

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

Should the pledge gains sufficient support, the summit could establish a forum in which the work of creating a strategy to the phaseout could start.

The endeavor would involve dialogue with every signatory nations to the UN framework convention on climate change and criteria for how the process would unfold, Silva explained. “After we have criteria, a governance structure can be drawn up; once we have a strategy, and establish safeguards to be able to establish confidence in the process, I am confident that with these components we can transform good ideas into actions that are more defined, and more tangible.”

There is no guarantee that a proposal to begin drawing up a plan would be accepted at COP30, even if it does not require the formal approval of the conference, which proceeds by consensus and can be disrupted by special interests. Climate analysts have indicated they think there could be backing for such a proposal from about 60 countries, but there are thought to be at least 40 opposed. A total of 195 countries represented at the talks.

“Despite being the root cause of climate change, fossil fuels are about the most contentious topic there is within the UN negotiations, so to see a sizable group of countries openly backing a path to realizing worldwide transition is in itself pretty groundbreaking.”

“In simple terms, there’s no path to a world where warming stays below 1.5C in which nations cannot to talk about fossil fuel phaseout.”

“We need this wording for actual in this conversation. It’s quite stupid that we talk about everything but then when the main issue are the real challenge.”

Discussions continued on the weekend on several outstanding topics that have not yet been included into the formal schedule: trade, openness, funding and how to address the gap between the carbon reduction nations have proposed and those needed to keep to the 1.5C warming limit.

The COP30 president pledged a “document” that would cover these issues, after discussions – which have been going on since Monday – were unresolved. The official urged countries to embrace the “mutirão” attitude, referring to one of cooperation and positive discussion.

Work on other key issues – including adjustment to the effects of the climate crisis, the just transition for those affected by the transition to a low-carbon economy and how to strengthen governance capabilities in less developed nations – carried on productively, the host said.

The host nation's lead representative stated the technical part of the summit proceedings was approaching the end, and the political stage – when government leaders who have the power to change their countries’ positions arrive – was starting.