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Brazil’s climate chief, Marina Silva, has called on every country to show the courage needed to address the imperative of a worldwide fossil fuel phaseout, labeling the development of a roadmap as an “moral” response to the climate crisis.

The minister stressed, though, that involvement in this endeavor would be optional and “self-determined” for interested governments.

The topic remains one of the most contentious subjects at the UN climate summit in the host country, with countries split over whether and in what way such a roadmap can be addressed. Hosting the event, Brazil has maintained a carefully neutral stance on which items can be placed on the official schedule.

Silva voiced support for the possibility of a roadmap, without explicitly pledging Brazil to it. She stated: “In times we have a situation that is very challenging, it is helpful that we have a guide. But the guide does not force us to proceed, or to climb.”

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

Scores of countries meeting in Belém for the global climate conference, which is starting its second week, are seeking to determine how a worldwide transition of fossil fuels could work. These nations aim to advance a landmark resolution reached two years ago at COP28 to “move away from non-renewable energy sources.”

The pledge had no a schedule or details on how it could be realized, and even though it was adopted by all, some nations have later attempted to disavow the promise. Efforts last year to elaborate on its practical meaning were stymied by opposition from oil-dependent nations at COP29.

As a result, there was no reference of the shift away from carbon fuels in the outcome of that conference.

For these reasons, the host has been cautious of demands by some countries to include the phaseout on the agenda for the current summit. But the minister has worked hard in private to ensure the pledge could be talked about at the summit outside the formal agenda.

She won over the nation's president, who gave mention three times to the need to “shift from reliance on fossil fuels” at the global leaders' meeting that came before the conference, and at the start of the event.

“This is something that we understand at a certain time had to be put forward, because it is the sole way to face the problem from the root,” the minister explained. “We acknowledge that it is challenging, and we cannot sell unrealistic expectations. Bringing up the topic is brave, and I wish [to see] this courage from everyone, from producers and using countries.”

The nation had not started the push for a transition, the minister said, because that had been initiated at COP28. Rather, it was enabling the talks to take place in accordance with what some countries wished. “We understand these topics are sensitive. We will provide the opportunity to discuss it,” she added.

Time is insufficient at COP30 to draw up a roadmap, a task the minister called could take several years because numerous nations confronted complex issues around dependence on fossil fuels, or aimed to use the proceeds from selling fossil fuels to fund their economic growth.

“Brazil brings up the subject, because Brazil is simultaneously a producer and consumer,” she noted. “But Brazil is different, because it, if it wants to, need not depend on fossil fuels. We have to recognise that there are certain nations that rely on carbon energy in their economies and don’t have simple solutions, and some where fossil fuels are the basis of their economy.

“To be fair is to be just to all, but the essential, primordial fairness is to avoid being unjust to the Earth, because it is our shared home.”

If the pledge gains enough backing, the summit could establish a platform in which the process of creating a strategy to the transition could start.

The process would require dialogue with all signatory nations to the UN framework convention on climate change and criteria for how the process would proceed, Silva said. “Once we have criteria, a management framework can be developed; once we have a plan, and establish protections to be able to build trust in the process, I believe that with these components we can transform positive concepts into actions that are more defined, and more concrete.”

It is uncertain that a suggestion to begin developing a plan would win approval at COP30, even if it may not need the formal consent of the conference, which proceeds by unanimous agreement and can be hijacked by special interests. COP experts have suggested they think there could be support for such a proposal from about 60 countries, but there are believed to be at least 40 against. A total of 195 nations participating at the negotiations.

“In spite of being the root cause of global warming, carbon-based energy are about the most divisive subject there is within the international climate talks, so to see a sizable coalition of nations openly backing a route to achieving worldwide phaseout is in itself pretty groundbreaking.”

“In simple terms, there’s no path to a world where warming remains below 1.5 degrees in which nations aren’t able to discuss fossil fuel phaseout.”

“We require this wording for actual in this discussion. It’s quite stupid that we talk about all topics but that when the main issue are the actual challenge.”

Negotiations continued on Saturday on several outstanding topics that have still not been included into the formal schedule: commerce, openness, funding and how to address the shortfall between the carbon reduction nations have planned and those required to hold to the 1.5-degree warming target.

The summit chair promised a “document” that would address these issues, after discussions – which have been underway since Monday – were inconclusive. The official called on countries to adopt the “mutirão” attitude, meaning one of collaboration and constructive dialogue.

Progress on other substantive topics – such as adjustment to the impacts of the climate emergency, the fair shift for those affected by the move to a low-carbon economic system and how to build governance capabilities in developing countries – proceeded constructively, the host said.

Brazil’s lead representative stated the detailed phase of the COP process was approaching the end, and the political stage – when government leaders who have the power to change their nations' stances arrive – was starting.