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The environment minister, the minister, has urged all nations to show the bravery needed to address the necessity of a worldwide transition away from fossil fuels, labeling the creation of a roadmap as an “ethical” response to the global warming emergency.

She stressed, though, that participation in this endeavor would be optional and “independently decided” for interested governments.

The topic remains one of the most contentious matters at the UN climate summit in Brazil, with countries divided over if and in what way such a strategy can be addressed. As the host, the nation has maintained a balanced stance on which items can be included on the official agenda.

Silva voiced support for the possibility of a roadmap, though not explicitly pledging the country to it. She remarked: “When we have a terrain that is quite grim, it is good that we have a guide. But the map does not compel us to proceed, or to climb.”

Speaking further, she noted: “The roadmap is an answer to our scientific understanding [of the climate emergency]. It is an ethical response.”

Dozens of countries meeting in the host city for the global climate conference, which is starting its second week, are aiming to determine how a global phaseout of fossil fuels could work. They aim to build on a landmark resolution reached two years ago at COP28 to “transition away from non-renewable energy sources.”

The pledge lacked a schedule or specifics on how it could be achieved, and although it was adopted by all, some countries have later tried to disavow the pledge. Efforts last year to expand on its real-world meaning were stymied by resistance from oil-dependent nations at another UN summit.

Consequently, there was no reference of the transition away from fossil fuels in the final agreement of that conference.

Because of this, the host has been cautious of calls by some countries to include the phaseout on the agenda for the current summit. But the minister has strived behind the scenes to make sure the topic could be discussed at the summit outside the formal program.

The minister convinced the nation's leader, and he gave 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 start of the event.

“The issue is a matter that we understand 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 challenging, and we cannot offer false hopes. Raising the topic is brave, and I wish [to see] this bravery from everyone, from producing nations and using countries.”

The nation had not started the call for a transition, she clarified, because that had been initiated at the earlier summit. Rather, it was allowing the talks to take place in accordance with what some nations wished. “We know these subjects are delicate. We will provide the opportunity to talk about it,” the minister said.

There is not enough time at the summit to create a roadmap, 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 fossil fuels to fund their economic growth.

“The country raises the topic, because Brazil is simultaneously a producer and consumer,” she said. “But Brazil is different, because it, if it chooses to, does not have to depend on non-renewables. We have to understand that there are some that depend on carbon energy in their economies and lack easy solutions, and some where oil and gas 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 planet, because it is our home.”

Should the proposal gains sufficient support, the summit could set up a forum in which the process of drawing up a strategy to the transition could begin.

This process would involve dialogue with every signatory countries to the UN framework convention on climate change and guidelines for how the initiative would unfold, Silva explained. “After we have standards, a management framework can be developed; once we have a strategy, and create protections to be able to establish confidence in the system, I believe that with these elements we can turn good ideas into steps that are more defined, and more tangible.”

It is uncertain that a suggestion to start drawing up a plan would be accepted at the conference, even if it does not require the formal consent of the summit, 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 idea from about 60 countries, but there are thought to be at least 40 opposed. A total of one hundred ninety-five countries represented at the negotiations.

“In spite of being the primary source of climate change, fossil fuels are about the most contentious subject there is within the international climate talks, so to see a chunky coalition of nations publicly backing a path to realizing global transition is in itself pretty groundbreaking.”

“Put simply, there’s no route to a planet where warming remains below 1.5 degrees in which nations cannot to talk about fossil fuel phaseout.”

“We need this wording for real in this conversation. It’s quite stupid that we discuss all topics but then when the main issue are the real problem.”

Discussions carried on on Saturday on several outstanding issues that have still not been included into the formal schedule: trade, openness, funding and how to tackle the shortfall between the carbon reduction countries have proposed and those required to hold to the 1.5C warming limit.

The COP30 chair pledged a “document” that would address these matters, after discussions – which have been underway since the start of the week – were unresolved. He called on countries to embrace the “mutirão” attitude, meaning one of collaboration and constructive dialogue.

Progress on additional substantive issues – such as adaptation to the impacts of the climate emergency, the just transition for those impacted by the move to a low-carbon economic system and how to build institutional capacity in developing countries – proceeded productively, the host reported.

Brazil’s chief negotiator said the technical part of the summit proceedings was approaching the end, and the political phase – when government leaders who have the power to change their nations' stances join – was starting.