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Brazil’s climate chief, the minister, has urged every country to demonstrate 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 emphasized, though, that participation in this endeavor would be optional and “independently decided” for willing governments.

The topic stands as one of the most contentious matters at the UN climate summit in Brazil, with countries split over if and how such a roadmap can be discussed. As the host, Brazil has adopted a carefully neutral stance on what can be included on the formal agenda.

Silva voiced support for the potential of a roadmap, without explicitly pledging the country to it. She remarked: “In times we have a situation that is quite grim, it is good that we have a map. But the guide does not force us to travel, or to advance.”

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

Scores of nations gathered in Belém for the UN climate summit, which is starting its second week, are aiming to establish how a worldwide phaseout of fossil fuels could be implemented. They hope to advance a historic resolution reached two years ago at a previous UN summit to “transition away from fossil fuels.”

The pledge lacked a timetable or specifics on how it could be realized, and even though it was passed by all, some countries have since tried to disavow the promise. Attempts last year to expand on its real-world meaning were blocked by resistance from oil-dependent nations at another UN summit.

Consequently, there was no mention of the shift away from carbon fuels in the final agreement of COP29.

For these reasons, Brazil has been wary of demands by some nations to include the phaseout on the schedule for the current summit. But Silva has strived behind the scenes to ensure the topic could be talked about at the conference apart from the official agenda.

She won over Brazil’s president, and he made public reference repeatedly to the need to “shift from dependence on fossil fuels” at the global leaders' meeting that came before COP30, and at the opening of the event.

“This is a matter that we understand at a certain time had to be raised, because it is the only way to address the issue from the root,” the minister explained. “We acknowledge that it is not easy, and we must not offer unrealistic expectations. Bringing up the subject is courageous, and I hope [to see] this bravery from everyone, from producers and consumers.”

The nation had not started the call for a transition, she said, because that had been done at COP28. Rather, it was allowing the discussions to take place in line with what some nations wished. “We know these subjects are sensitive. We will provide the opportunity to talk about it,” the minister added.

There is not enough time at COP30 to create a roadmap, a task the minister called could take several years because numerous countries faced complex issues around dependence on carbon-based energy, or aimed to use the proceeds from exporting fossil fuels to fund their economic growth.

“The country raises the subject, because it is simultaneously a producer and user,” the minister noted. “But the nation is unique, because Brazil, if it chooses to, does not have to rely on fossil fuels. We have to recognise that there are certain nations that depend on carbon energy in their economies and don’t have easy alternatives, and some where oil and gas are the basis of their economy.

“To be just is to be just to all, but the fundamental, primordial fairness is not being unjust to the Earth, because it is our home.”

If the pledge receives sufficient support, COP30 could establish a platform in which the process of drawing up a strategy to the phaseout could begin.

This endeavor would involve discussions with every participating countries to the UN climate treaty and criteria for how the initiative would unfold, Silva said. “Once we have standards, a governance structure can be developed; once we have a plan, and establish safeguards to be able to establish trust in the system, I believe that with these components we can turn positive concepts into actions that are clearer, and more tangible.”

There is no guarantee that a suggestion to start developing a plan would be accepted at COP30, although it does not require the official approval of the summit, which proceeds by unanimous agreement and can be hijacked by special interests. COP experts have suggested they believe there could be support for such a idea from about sixty countries, but there are thought to be at least 40 against. There are one hundred ninety-five nations represented at the negotiations.

“Despite being the root cause 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 publicly backing a path to achieving global phaseout is in itself highly significant.”

“In simple terms, there’s no route to a world where temperature rise remains below 1.5C in which countries cannot to talk about ending fossil fuel use.”

“We need this wording for actual in this discussion. It’s highly illogical that we discuss everything but that when fossil fuels are the actual challenge.”

Negotiations carried on on Saturday on four unresolved issues that have still not been included into the formal schedule: trade, transparency, finance and how to tackle the shortfall between the emissions cuts nations have proposed and those required to hold to the 1.5-degree warming limit.

The COP30 chair pledged a “document” that would cover these issues, after discussions – which have been underway since Monday – were inconclusive. The official called on countries to embrace the “mutirão” spirit, meaning one of collaboration and constructive discussion.

Progress on additional substantive topics – including adjustment to the effects of the climate emergency, the fair shift for those impacted by the transition to a low-carbon economy and how to build governance capabilities in developing countries – proceeded constructively, the host reported.

The host nation's lead representative stated the technical part of the summit proceedings was approaching completion, and the high-level phase – when ministers who have the power to change their nations' stances arrive – was starting.