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Brazil’s climate chief, the minister, has called on all nations to show the bravery needed to confront the necessity of a global fossil fuel phaseout, labeling the development of a roadmap as an “ethical” answer to the climate crisis.

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

The topic remains one of the most contentious matters at the UN climate summit in the host country, with nations divided over whether and how such a strategy can be discussed. Hosting the event, the nation has adopted a balanced position on which items can be included on the official schedule.

Silva voiced approval for the potential of a plan, without explicitly committing Brazil to it. The minister stated: “In times we have a situation that is very challenging, it is good that we have a map. But the map does not compel us to travel, or to advance.”

Speaking further, the minister noted: “The map is an answer to our scientific knowledge [of the climate emergency]. It is an moral answer.”

Scores of nations gathered in the host city for the UN climate summit, which is entering its second week, are aiming to determine how a worldwide transition of oil, gas, and coal could be implemented. These nations aim to advance a landmark resolution reached two years ago at a previous UN summit to “move away from non-renewable energy sources.”

That pledge lacked a timetable or details on how it could be achieved, and even though it was passed unanimously, some nations have since attempted to back away from the pledge. Efforts last year to expand on its real-world implications were blocked by opposition from petrostates at another UN summit.

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

Because of this, the host has been wary of calls by certain nations to include the transition on the schedule for the current summit. But Silva has worked hard behind the scenes to make sure the pledge could be talked about at the conference outside the formal agenda.

She won over the nation's president, and he gave public reference repeatedly to the need to “move away from dependence on fossil fuels” at the global leaders' meeting that preceded the conference, and at the opening of the event.

“The issue is a matter that we know at a certain time had to be put forward, because it is the only way to address the problem from the source,” the minister explained. “We acknowledge that it is not easy, and we cannot offer unrealistic expectations. Bringing up the topic is brave, and I hope [to see] this bravery from everyone, from producing nations and using countries.”

Brazil had not initiated the push for a phaseout, the minister said, because that had been initiated at the earlier summit. Instead, it was allowing the talks to take place in line with what some countries desired. “We understand these subjects are delicate. We will give the opportunity to talk about it,” the minister added.

Time is insufficient at the summit to create a detailed plan, a task Silva called could take several years because many nations faced complicated challenges around dependence on carbon-based energy, or aimed to use the proceeds from exporting oil and gas to fund their economic growth.

“Brazil brings up the subject, because it 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 non-renewables. We have to understand that there are some that depend on fossil fuels in their economic systems and don’t have easy alternatives, and others where oil and gas are the basis of their economy.

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

If the pledge gains sufficient support, COP30 could set up a platform in which the work of drawing up a roadmap to the phaseout could start.

This endeavor would require discussions with every signatory nations to the UN climate treaty and guidelines for how the process would unfold, Silva explained. “After we have standards, a governance structure can be developed; once we have a plan, and create safeguards to be able to establish trust in the process, I am confident that with these components we can turn good ideas into actions that are clearer, and more concrete.”

It is uncertain that a proposal to start developing a roadmap would win approval at COP30, even if it does not require the official approval of the summit, which proceeds by unanimous agreement and can be disrupted by special interests. Climate analysts have suggested they believe there could be support for such a idea from about 60 nations, but there are believed to be at least forty opposed. A total of 195 nations participating at the negotiations.

“In spite of being the primary source of global warming, fossil fuels are about the most divisive topic there is within the UN negotiations, so to see a chunky group of nations publicly supporting a route to realizing worldwide transition is in itself pretty groundbreaking.”

“Put simply, there’s no route to a planet where warming stays below 1.5 degrees in which countries cannot to discuss fossil fuel phaseout.”

“We need this wording for real in this conversation. It’s quite stupid that we talk about all topics but then when fossil fuels are the actual problem.”

Discussions carried on on the weekend on four outstanding issues that have still not been incorporated into the official schedule: commerce, transparency, funding and how to tackle the gap between the carbon reduction countries have planned and those needed to hold to the 1.5C temperature target.

The COP30 chair promised a “document” that would cover these matters, after consultations – which have been going on since Monday – were inconclusive. He called on countries to adopt the “mutirão” spirit, meaning one of cooperation and constructive discussion.

Work on other substantive issues – such as 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 – carried on productively, the host reported.

Brazil’s lead representative stated the technical part of the summit proceedings was approaching the end, and the high-level phase – when government leaders who have the power to change their nations' positions arrive – was beginning.