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The environment minister, the minister, has called on every country to show the bravery needed to confront the imperative of a worldwide transition away from fossil fuels, describing the development of a roadmap as an “moral” answer to the climate crisis.

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

This issue remains one of the most debated subjects at the UN climate summit in Brazil, with countries divided over whether and how such a strategy can be discussed. Hosting the event, the nation has maintained a balanced stance on what can be included on the official schedule.

The official expressed support for the possibility of a plan, without explicitly pledging the country to it. The minister stated: “In times we have a terrain that is quite grim, it is helpful that we have a map. But the guide does not force us to travel, or to climb.”

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

Scores of nations meeting in Belém for the UN climate summit, which is entering its next phase, are seeking to determine how a worldwide transition of oil, gas, and coal could work. These nations aim to build on a historic resolution made 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 adopted by all, several countries have since tried to back away from the pledge. Attempts last year to elaborate on its real-world meaning were blocked by resistance from petrostates at COP29.

As a result, there was no reference of the transition away from fossil fuels in the outcome of COP29.

For these reasons, Brazil has been cautious of calls by certain nations to place the phaseout on the agenda for COP30. But Silva has worked hard in private to ensure the topic could be discussed at the conference outside the official program.

She convinced Brazil’s president, who made mention repeatedly to the need to “move away from reliance on traditional energy” at the summit of world leaders that came before COP30, and at the start of the event.

“The issue is something that we know at some point had to be put forward, because it is the only way to address the issue from the source,” the minister said. “We acknowledge that it is challenging, and we cannot sell false hopes. Bringing up the topic is brave, and I hope [to see] this courage from all, from producing nations and consumers.”

The nation 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 discussions to take place in line with what some nations wished. “We know these topics are delicate. We will provide the chance to talk about it,” the minister said.

There is not enough time at the summit to create a roadmap, a process Silva said could take several years because many countries confronted complex issues around dependence on carbon-based energy, or aimed to use the proceeds from selling fossil fuels to finance their development.

“Brazil brings up the topic, because Brazil is simultaneously a producer and consumer,” she said. “But the nation is different, because Brazil, if it wants to, need not depend on fossil fuels. We have to recognise that there are certain nations that depend on carbon energy in their economies and don’t have simple alternatives, and others where fossil fuels are the foundation of their economic structure.

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

Should the proposal gains enough backing, COP30 could establish a platform in which the process of drawing up a roadmap to the transition could start.

The endeavor would require discussions with all participating countries to the UN framework convention on climate change and criteria for how the initiative would unfold, Silva explained. “After we have standards, a management framework can be developed; once we have a plan, and establish protections to be able to establish trust in the process, I am confident that with these components we can transform good ideas into actions that are clearer, and more concrete.”

There is no guarantee that a proposal to start developing a roadmap would be accepted at the conference, although it does not require the formal approval of the conference, which operates by unanimous agreement and can be hijacked by special interests. Climate analysts have indicated they think there could be backing for such a proposal from about 60 countries, but there are believed to be at least 40 against. A total of 195 nations participating at the talks.

“In spite of being the primary source of global warming, carbon-based energy are about the most contentious subject there is within the UN negotiations, so to see a chunky group of nations publicly backing a route to achieving global phaseout is in itself highly significant.”

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

“We need this wording for actual in this discussion. It’s quite stupid that we talk about all topics but then when the main issue are the actual problem.”

Discussions continued on Saturday on four unresolved topics that have not yet been incorporated into the official agenda: trade, openness, finance and how to address the gap between the carbon reduction countries have planned and those required to hold to the 1.5-degree temperature limit.

A COP30 chair pledged a “document” that would address these issues, after discussions – which have been underway since the start of the week – were inconclusive. The official urged countries to adopt the “mutirão” attitude, meaning one of collaboration and constructive discussion.

Progress on other substantive topics – including adjustment to the effects of the climate emergency, the just transition for those affected by the transition to a green economic system and how to strengthen institutional capacity in less developed nations – carried on constructively, the presidency said.

The host nation's chief negotiator stated the detailed phase of the COP process was nearing the end, and the high-level stage – when ministers who have the authority to alter their countries’ positions join – was beginning.