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Brazil’s climate chief, Marina Silva, has urged all nations to demonstrate the courage needed to address the necessity of a worldwide transition away from fossil fuels, labeling the development of a roadmap as an “moral” response to the climate crisis.

The minister emphasized, though, that involvement in this process would be optional and “independently decided” for interested governments.

This issue remains one of the most contentious matters at the UN climate summit in Brazil, with nations divided over whether and in what way such a strategy can be discussed. Hosting the event, Brazil has maintained a balanced position on which items can be included on the official agenda.

Silva expressed support for the possibility of a plan, though not directly pledging Brazil to it. The minister remarked: “In times we have a terrain that is quite grim, it is helpful that we have a map. But the guide does not force us to proceed, or to advance.”

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

Scores of countries meeting in Belém for the UN climate summit, which is starting its second week, are seeking to determine how a worldwide phaseout of oil, gas, and coal could work. They aim to advance a landmark agreement made two years ago at COP28 to “move away from non-renewable energy sources.”

The commitment lacked a schedule or details on the way it could be achieved, and even though it was adopted unanimously, some countries have since attempted to back away from the pledge. Attempts last year to elaborate on its real-world meaning were stymied by opposition from petrostates at another UN summit.

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

For these reasons, the host has been cautious of demands by certain countries to include the transition on the schedule for the current summit. But the minister has strived behind the scenes to make sure the topic could be talked about at the conference apart from the official program.

She won over Brazil’s president, who made public reference three times to the need to “shift from dependence on traditional energy” at the summit of world leaders that preceded the conference, and at the start of the summit.

“The issue is a matter that we know at a certain time had to be put forward, because it is the only way to address the problem from the source,” the minister said. “We recognise that it is challenging, and we must not sell unrealistic expectations. Raising the subject is courageous, and I wish [to see] this courage from all, from producing nations and using countries.”

Brazil had not initiated the call for a transition, she said, because that had been done at the earlier summit. Rather, it was enabling the discussions to take place in line with what certain nations wished. “We know these topics are sensitive. We will give the opportunity to talk about it,” she said.

Time is insufficient at COP30 to create a detailed plan, a task the minister said could take a number of years because many countries faced complicated challenges around reliance on fossil fuels, or aimed to use the proceeds from exporting fossil fuels to fund their economic growth.

“Brazil raises the subject, because it is simultaneously a producer and consumer,” the minister noted. “But the nation is unique, because Brazil, if it wants to, need not depend on fossil fuels. We have to recognise that there are certain nations that depend on fossil fuels in their economic systems and don’t have simple solutions, and others where oil and gas are the basis of their economic structure.

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

If the proposal gains sufficient backing, the summit could establish a platform in which the work of creating a roadmap to the transition could start.

The process would require dialogue with every participating countries to the UN framework convention on climate change and guidelines for how the process would proceed, Silva said. “After we have criteria, a governance structure can be drawn up; after we have a strategy, and establish protections to be able to build confidence in the system, I am confident that with these elements we can turn positive concepts into steps that are clearer, and more concrete.”

There is no guarantee that a suggestion to begin drawing up a plan would win approval at COP30, even if it may not need the formal approval of the conference, which proceeds by consensus and can be hijacked by special interests. COP experts have indicated they believe there could be support for such a proposal from about 60 nations, but there are believed to be at least 40 opposed. A total of one hundred ninety-five nations participating at the talks.

“In spite of being the primary source of climate change, carbon-based energy are about the most contentious topic there is within the international climate talks, so to see a sizable coalition of nations openly backing a route to achieving global phaseout is in itself pretty groundbreaking.”

“Put simply, there’s no path to a planet where warming remains below 1.5C in which countries aren’t able to discuss ending fossil fuel use.”

“We need this language for real in this discussion. It’s quite stupid that we discuss everything but that when fossil fuels are the actual problem.”

Discussions carried on on Saturday on four outstanding topics that have still not been included into the formal schedule: trade, openness, finance and how to tackle the shortfall between the emissions cuts countries have planned and those required to keep to the 1.5C temperature limit.

A COP30 president promised a “note” that would address these issues, after discussions – which have been going on since Monday – were unresolved. He called on countries to adopt the “mutirão” spirit, referring to one of collaboration and constructive discussion.

Work on other substantive topics – such as adaptation to the impacts of the climate emergency, the fair shift for those affected by the transition to a green economy and how to build institutional capacity in developing countries – proceeded constructively, the presidency reported.

The host nation's chief negotiator stated the technical phase of the summit process was nearing completion, and the high-level stage – when government leaders who have the power to change their nations' positions arrive – was starting.