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The environment minister, the minister, has called on every country to demonstrate the courage needed to address the imperative of a worldwide transition away from fossil fuels, labeling the development of a roadmap as an “moral” response to the global warming emergency.

The minister stressed, however, that participation in this process would be voluntary and “self-determined” for willing governments.

This issue remains one of the most contentious matters at the COP30 in the host country, with countries divided over if and in what way such a roadmap can be addressed. As the host, Brazil has maintained a carefully neutral position on which items can be placed on the official schedule.

The official expressed support for the possibility of a plan, without explicitly pledging the country to it. The minister stated: “When we have a terrain 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 map is an response to our scientific understanding [of the climate emergency]. It is an ethical response.”

Scores of countries gathered in Belém for the global climate conference, which is starting its next phase, are aiming to establish how a global transition of oil, gas, and coal could work. They aim to build on a landmark resolution reached two years ago at COP28 to “transition away from fossil fuels.”

That pledge lacked a schedule or details on the way it could be achieved, and even though it was passed unanimously, several countries have later attempted to disavow the pledge. Attempts last year to expand on its practical implications were blocked by resistance from oil-dependent nations at another UN summit.

As a result, there was no mention of the transition away from carbon fuels in the final agreement of that conference.

For these reasons, Brazil has been wary of demands by certain nations to place 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 outside the formal agenda.

She convinced Brazil’s leader, and he gave mention repeatedly to the need to “shift from dependence on fossil fuels” at the global leaders' meeting that preceded COP30, and at the start of the event.

“The issue is a matter that we understand at some point had to be raised, because it is the sole way to address the issue from the root,” Marina Silva said. “We recognise that it is challenging, and we must not sell false hopes. Bringing up the subject is brave, and I hope [to see] this courage from everyone, from producers and consumers.”

Brazil had not initiated the push for a phaseout, the minister clarified, because that had been initiated at the earlier summit. Instead, it was enabling the talks to take place in line with what certain nations wished. “We know these subjects are delicate. We will provide the opportunity to discuss it,” she said.

Time is insufficient at the summit to create a roadmap, a task the minister said could take a number of years because numerous nations faced complex challenges around dependence on fossil fuels, or wanted to use the proceeds from selling oil and gas to fund their development.

“Brazil brings up the subject, because Brazil is both a producing nation and consumer,” she said. “But the nation is different, because it, if it chooses to, does not have to depend on fossil fuels. We have to understand that there are some that rely on fossil fuels in their economic systems and lack simple solutions, and some where fossil fuels are the basis of their economy.

“To be fair is to be just to everyone, but the essential, basic justice is not being unfair to the planet, because it is our shared home.”

Should the pledge receives enough backing, COP30 could establish a forum in which the work of creating a strategy to the phaseout could begin.

This endeavor would require discussions with every signatory nations to the UN climate treaty and criteria for how the initiative would unfold, the minister said. “Once we have standards, a management framework can be drawn up; once we have a plan, and create safeguards to be able to build confidence in the process, I am confident that with these elements we can turn good ideas into steps that are clearer, and more concrete.”

There is no guarantee that a suggestion to start developing a roadmap would win approval at COP30, although it does not require the official consent of the conference, which proceeds by unanimous agreement and can be disrupted by particular groups. COP experts have suggested they think there could be support for such a proposal from about 60 countries, but there are thought to be at least 40 against. A total of one hundred ninety-five countries represented at the talks.

“In spite of being the primary source of climate change, carbon-based energy are about the most contentious topic there is within the UN negotiations, so to see a chunky coalition of nations openly backing a route to realizing global phaseout is in itself pretty groundbreaking.”

“Put simply, there’s no path to a world where temperature rise stays below 1.5 degrees in which nations aren’t able to talk about ending fossil fuel use.”

“We need this language for actual in this conversation. It’s highly illogical that we discuss all topics but that when fossil fuels are the real problem.”

Discussions carried on on the weekend on several outstanding issues that have still not been included into the formal agenda: trade, transparency, finance and how to tackle the shortfall between the carbon reduction countries have proposed and those needed to hold to the 1.5C warming target.

A summit president pledged a “document” that would cover these matters, after discussions – which have been going on since Monday – were inconclusive. The official urged nations to adopt the “mutirão” spirit, meaning one of cooperation and positive dialogue.

Progress on other key topics – including adjustment to the impacts of the climate crisis, the just transition for those impacted by the move to a low-carbon economy and how to build governance capabilities in less developed nations – proceeded constructively, the host said.

Brazil’s chief negotiator said the detailed part of the COP proceedings was approaching the end, and the political stage – when ministers who have the authority to change their countries’ positions join – was starting.