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The environment minister, the minister, has called on all nations to demonstrate the courage needed to address the imperative of a global fossil fuel phaseout, describing the development of a roadmap as an “ethical” response to the global warming emergency.

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

The topic stands as one of the most debated matters at the COP30 in the host country, with nations divided over if and how such a strategy can be addressed. As the host, the nation has maintained a balanced position on which items can be placed on the formal schedule.

Silva expressed support for the potential of a roadmap, without directly committing Brazil to it. She remarked: “In times we have a situation that is very challenging, it is good that we have a map. But the map does not force us to proceed, or to climb.”

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

Scores of nations gathered in the host city for the UN climate summit, which is starting its next phase, are aiming to determine how a global phaseout of fossil fuels could work. They hope to advance a historic resolution reached two years ago at a previous UN summit to “move away from fossil fuels.”

The commitment had no a schedule or details on how it could be achieved, and although it was passed unanimously, some countries have later attempted to disavow the promise. Attempts last year to elaborate on its real-world implications were blocked by resistance from petrostates at another UN summit.

Consequently, there was no mention 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 transition on the agenda for the current summit. But Silva has worked hard in private to make sure the topic could be discussed at the conference outside the official agenda.

She convinced the nation's leader, who made mention three times to the need to “shift from reliance on traditional energy” at the summit of world leaders that preceded the conference, and at the opening of the event.

“This is a matter that we know at a certain time had to be put forward, because it is the sole way to face the problem from the root,” Marina Silva explained. “We recognise that it is challenging, and we cannot offer unrealistic expectations. Bringing up the subject is courageous, and I wish [to see] this courage from all, from producing nations and consumers.”

Brazil had not initiated the call for a transition, she said, because that had been done at COP28. Instead, it was allowing the talks to occur in accordance with what certain nations wished. “We know these topics are delicate. We will provide the opportunity to talk about it,” the minister added.

There is not enough time at the summit to create a detailed plan, a process the minister called could take a number of years because numerous nations faced complex issues around dependence on fossil fuels, or wanted to use the revenue from selling oil and gas to fund their development.

“Brazil raises the topic, because Brazil is both a producing nation and user,” she noted. “But Brazil is unique, because Brazil, if it chooses to, does not have to rely on fossil fuels. We have to understand that there are certain nations that depend on carbon energy in their economic systems and don’t have easy solutions, and some where oil and gas are the basis of their economic structure.

“To be fair is to be fair to all, but the fundamental, primordial fairness is to avoid being unfair to the Earth, because it is our home.”

Should the pledge gains sufficient backing, the summit could set up a platform in which the work of drawing up a roadmap to the transition could start.

The endeavor would require discussions with every participating countries to the UN framework convention on climate change and guidelines for how the initiative would proceed, the minister explained. “Once we have standards, a management framework can be drawn up; after we have a plan, and establish protections to be able to establish trust in the system, I believe that with these components we can transform positive concepts into actions that are more defined, and more concrete.”

There is no guarantee that a proposal to begin developing a roadmap would be accepted at the conference, even if it does not require the formal consent of the conference, which proceeds by consensus and can be disrupted by particular groups. COP experts have indicated they believe there could be backing for such a idea from about sixty countries, but there are believed to be at least 40 opposed. There are 195 nations participating at the talks.

“In spite of being the root cause of global warming, fossil fuels are about the most contentious subject there is within the international climate talks, so to see a sizable coalition of countries publicly backing a route to achieving 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 require this language for actual in this conversation. It’s quite stupid that we talk about everything but then when fossil fuels are the actual problem.”

Negotiations carried on on the weekend on several outstanding topics that have not yet been incorporated into the official agenda: trade, openness, funding and how to tackle the gap between the carbon reduction countries have proposed and those required to keep to the 1.5-degree temperature limit.

A COP30 president pledged a “note” that would cover these issues, after discussions – which have been underway since Monday – were unresolved. He urged countries to adopt the “mutirão” attitude, referring to one of cooperation and constructive discussion.

Progress on additional key topics – such as adaptation to the impacts of the climate crisis, the just transition for those affected by the move to a green economy and how to build governance capabilities in less developed nations – proceeded productively, the host said.

Brazil’s lead representative said the technical part of the summit proceedings was approaching the end, and the political phase – when ministers who have the power to change their countries’ stances join – was beginning.