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Brazil’s environment minister, the minister, has called on every country to demonstrate the bravery needed to confront the necessity of a global transition away from fossil fuels, describing the development of a roadmap as an “ethical” response to the climate crisis.

She emphasized, though, that involvement in this process would be voluntary and “independently decided” for willing nations.

This issue remains one of the most contentious subjects at the COP30 in Brazil, with nations divided over whether and how such a roadmap can be addressed. As the host, Brazil has adopted a carefully neutral position on which items can be placed on the formal agenda.

The official expressed approval for the possibility of a roadmap, without explicitly pledging Brazil to it. The minister remarked: “In times we have a situation that is quite grim, it is helpful that we have a guide. But the map does not force us to proceed, or to advance.”

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

Scores of countries meeting in Belém for the UN climate summit, which is starting its second week, are seeking to establish how a global phaseout of fossil fuels could work. These nations hope to advance a historic resolution made two years ago at a previous UN summit to “move away from non-renewable energy sources.”

The commitment lacked a schedule or specifics on the way it could be realized, and although it was adopted unanimously, several nations have later tried to back away from the promise. Attempts last year to elaborate on its practical meaning were blocked by opposition from oil-dependent nations at another UN summit.

Consequently, there was no mention of the shift away from carbon fuels in the outcome of that conference.

Because of this, Brazil has been cautious of calls by certain nations to place the phaseout on the agenda for the current summit. But the minister has worked hard behind the scenes to make sure the pledge could be talked about at the summit outside the official program.

The minister convinced the nation's president, who gave public reference three times to the need to “move away from dependence on fossil fuels” at the global leaders' meeting that came before the conference, and at the start of the summit.

“This is a matter that we know at some point had to be put forward, because it is the only way to face the problem from the root,” Marina Silva explained. “We acknowledge that it is not easy, and we cannot offer unrealistic expectations. Raising the subject is brave, and I hope [to see] this courage from everyone, from producers and using countries.”

The nation had not initiated the call for a phaseout, the minister said, because that had been initiated at COP28. Instead, it was allowing the talks to take place in line with what some countries desired. “We know these subjects are sensitive. We will provide the chance to talk about it,” she added.

There is not enough time at COP30 to draw up a detailed plan, a process the minister called could take several years because many countries confronted complicated issues around dependence on carbon-based energy, or wanted to use the proceeds from exporting fossil fuels to finance their development.

“Brazil raises the subject, because it is simultaneously a producer and user,” she noted. “But Brazil is different, because Brazil, if it wants to, need not depend on non-renewables. We have to recognise that there are certain nations that depend on fossil fuels in their economies and lack simple solutions, and others where oil and gas are the basis of their economic structure.

“To be just is to be fair to all, but the fundamental, basic justice is to avoid being unfair to the planet, because it is our shared home.”

Should the proposal gains sufficient backing, COP30 could establish a platform in which the process of drawing up a strategy to the phaseout could start.

This endeavor would involve discussions with every signatory countries to the UN framework convention on climate change and criteria for how the process would unfold, the minister explained. “Once we have criteria, a management framework can be drawn up; once 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 turn good ideas into actions that are more defined, and more concrete.”

There is no guarantee that a suggestion to start drawing up a plan would win approval at the conference, although it may not need the official approval of the summit, 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 nations, but there are thought to be at least 40 against. A total of one hundred ninety-five nations represented at the talks.

“In spite of being the root cause of global warming, fossil fuels are about the most divisive subject there is within the international climate talks, so to see a sizable coalition of nations publicly supporting a route to realizing worldwide transition is in itself highly significant.”

“Put simply, there’s no path to a planet where warming stays below 1.5C in which nations aren’t able to talk about fossil fuel phaseout.”

“We require this wording for real in this discussion. It’s highly illogical that we talk about all topics but then when fossil fuels are the actual challenge.”

Discussions carried on on Saturday on several unresolved issues that have still not been incorporated into the official agenda: trade, transparency, funding and how to address the shortfall between the emissions cuts nations have planned and those needed to hold to the 1.5C warming limit.

The COP30 president promised a “note” that would cover these matters, after discussions – which have been underway since the start of the week – were unresolved. The official called on nations to embrace the “mutirão” attitude, meaning one of collaboration and constructive dialogue.

Work on additional substantive topics – including adjustment to the effects of the climate crisis, the fair shift for those affected by the transition to a green economic system and how to strengthen governance capabilities in less developed nations – carried on constructively, the presidency said.

The host nation's chief negotiator said the detailed phase of the COP proceedings was nearing completion, and the high-level stage – when government leaders who have the authority to change their countries’ positions join – was starting.