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Brazil’s environment minister, the minister, has called on every country to demonstrate the bravery needed to address the imperative of a global fossil fuel phaseout, labeling the development of a roadmap as an “ethical” response to the global warming emergency.

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

The topic stands as one of the most debated subjects at the COP30 in the host country, with countries split over if and in what way such a strategy can be addressed. Hosting the event, Brazil has maintained a carefully neutral position on which items can be placed on the official schedule.

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

Speaking further, she added: “The roadmap is an answer to our scientific knowledge [of the climate crisis]. It is an moral answer.”

Dozens of nations gathered in the host city for the global climate conference, which is entering its next phase, are seeking to establish how a global transition of fossil fuels could work. These nations hope to build on a landmark agreement reached two years ago at COP28 to “move away from fossil fuels.”

The pledge lacked a schedule or specifics on the way it could be realized, and although it was passed by all, some countries have later tried to disavow the pledge. Efforts 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 fossil fuels in the final agreement of COP29.

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

The minister won over Brazil’s leader, and he made public reference three times to the need to “move away from dependence on fossil fuels” at the summit of world leaders that preceded COP30, and at the start of the summit.

“This is a matter that we understand at a certain time had to be raised, because it is the only way to face the issue from the root,” the minister said. “We acknowledge that it is challenging, and we cannot sell false hopes. Raising the topic is courageous, and I wish [to see] this bravery from all, from producers and using countries.”

Brazil had not started the push for a transition, she clarified, because that had been initiated at COP28. Instead, it was enabling the discussions to take place in line with what certain nations wished. “We know these topics are delicate. We will give the opportunity to talk about it,” the minister added.

Time is insufficient at the summit to draw up a roadmap, a task Silva said could take several years because numerous nations confronted complex issues around dependence on fossil fuels, or aimed to use the proceeds from exporting oil and gas to finance their development.

“Brazil raises the subject, because Brazil is simultaneously a producing nation and user,” the minister said. “But the nation is different, because it, if it chooses to, need not rely on fossil fuels. We have to understand that there are some that depend on fossil fuels in their economic systems and don’t have simple alternatives, and others where fossil fuels are the basis of their economy.

“To be just is to be just to everyone, but the fundamental, basic justice is not being unjust to the Earth, because it is our home.”

Should the proposal receives enough support, COP30 could set up a forum in which the work of creating a strategy to the phaseout could begin.

The endeavor would require discussions with every signatory countries to the UN climate treaty and guidelines for how the initiative would proceed, the minister said. “Once we have criteria, a management framework can be drawn up; after we have a strategy, and establish safeguards to be able to establish trust in the process, I am confident that with these elements we can transform good ideas into steps that are clearer, and more tangible.”

There is no guarantee that a proposal to start drawing up a roadmap would be accepted at COP30, even if it may not need the official consent of the conference, which operates by unanimous agreement and can be hijacked by special interests. COP analysts have suggested they believe there could be backing for such a proposal from about sixty countries, but there are believed to be at least 40 opposed. There are 195 countries participating at the talks.

“In spite of being the primary source of climate change, fossil fuels are about the most divisive subject there is within the UN negotiations, so to see a sizable group of nations openly backing a path to realizing worldwide phaseout is in itself pretty groundbreaking.”

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

“We need this wording for actual in this discussion. It’s quite stupid that we talk about everything but that when fossil fuels are the actual challenge.”

Negotiations continued on Saturday on several outstanding topics that have still not been included into the formal schedule: commerce, transparency, finance and how to tackle the gap between the carbon reduction nations have planned and those needed to keep to the 1.5-degree temperature limit.

The summit chair pledged a “note” that would address these matters, after consultations – which have been going on since the start of the week – were inconclusive. He called on countries to adopt the “mutirão” spirit, meaning one of cooperation and constructive discussion.

Progress on other substantive issues – including adaptation to the impacts of the climate emergency, the just transition for those affected by the move to a low-carbon economy and how to build institutional capacity in developing countries – carried on productively, the presidency reported.

The host nation's lead representative said the detailed phase of the COP process was nearing completion, and the political stage – when government leaders who have the authority to alter their countries’ stances arrive – was starting.