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Brazil’s climate chief, Marina Silva, has called on every country to show the courage needed to address the necessity of a global fossil fuel phaseout, describing the creation of a roadmap as an “moral” response to the climate crisis.

The minister stressed, however, that participation in this endeavor would be voluntary and “independently decided” for willing governments.

This issue remains one of the most debated subjects at the UN climate summit in Brazil, with nations divided over whether and how such a strategy can be addressed. Hosting the event, Brazil has adopted a carefully neutral position on which items can be placed on the official schedule.

Silva voiced approval for the possibility of a roadmap, though not explicitly committing Brazil to it. The minister remarked: “When we have a terrain that is very challenging, it is helpful that we have a map. But the map does not compel us to proceed, or to advance.”

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

Dozens of nations gathered in the host city for the global climate conference, which is starting its next phase, are seeking to determine how a worldwide transition of oil, gas, and coal could work. They hope to build on a landmark agreement made two years ago at a previous UN summit to “move away from fossil fuels.”

The commitment had no a timetable or details on the way it could be realized, and although it was adopted by all, several nations have since attempted to back away from the pledge. Attempts last year to elaborate on its practical meaning were stymied by opposition from petrostates at COP29.

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

Because of this, Brazil has been wary of demands by some countries to place the phaseout on the schedule for the current summit. But the minister has strived behind the scenes to ensure the topic could be talked about at the summit outside the formal program.

The minister won over the nation's leader, who gave public reference repeatedly to the need to “shift from dependence on traditional energy” at the global leaders' meeting that came before the conference, and at the start of the summit.

“The issue is a matter that we know at some point had to be raised, because it is the sole way to address the issue from the source,” the minister explained. “We recognise that it is challenging, and we must not sell unrealistic expectations. Bringing up the topic is courageous, and I wish [to see] this courage from all, from producing nations and consumers.”

The nation had not started the push for a transition, she said, because that had been done at the earlier summit. Instead, it was allowing the discussions to take place in accordance with what some countries wished. “We understand these subjects are sensitive. We will give the opportunity to talk about it,” she said.

There is not enough time at COP30 to draw up a detailed plan, a task Silva called could take several years because numerous countries faced complicated issues around dependence on carbon-based energy, or wanted to use the proceeds from selling oil and gas to finance their development.

“Brazil raises the subject, because it is both a producing nation and user,” she said. “But the nation is unique, because Brazil, if it chooses to, does not have to rely on fossil fuels. We have to recognise that there are some that depend on fossil fuels in their economies and don’t have easy solutions, and some where oil and gas are the foundation of their economy.

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

If the proposal receives enough support, the summit could set up a forum in which the work of drawing up a strategy to the transition could start.

The endeavor would involve dialogue with every signatory nations to the UN framework convention on climate change and criteria for how the process would unfold, the minister explained. “After we have criteria, a management framework can be drawn up; after we have a plan, and create protections to be able to build confidence in the system, I believe that with these elements we can transform positive concepts into actions that are more defined, and more concrete.”

There is no guarantee that a suggestion to begin developing a plan would be accepted at COP30, even if it does not require the official approval of the conference, which proceeds by consensus and can be disrupted by special interests. Climate experts have suggested they believe there could be support for such a proposal from about 60 nations, but there are thought to be at least forty against. A total of one hundred ninety-five nations represented at the negotiations.

“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 backing a path to realizing global transition is in itself highly significant.”

“Put simply, there’s no route to a world where warming stays below 1.5C in which nations aren’t able to discuss fossil fuel phaseout.”

“We require this language for actual in this discussion. It’s quite stupid that we discuss everything but that when fossil fuels are the real problem.”

Discussions continued on Saturday on four unresolved issues that have still not been included into the formal agenda: trade, openness, funding and how to address the shortfall between the emissions cuts nations have planned and those required to keep to the 1.5C temperature limit.

The COP30 chair promised a “note” that would cover these issues, after discussions – which have been going on since the start of the week – were unresolved. The official urged nations to adopt the “mutirão” attitude, referring to one of cooperation and constructive discussion.

Work on other substantive issues – such as adjustment to the impacts of the climate emergency, the fair shift for those affected by the move to a low-carbon economy and how to build institutional capacity in less developed nations – proceeded constructively, the host reported.

The host nation's chief negotiator said the technical phase of the summit process was approaching completion, and the political stage – when ministers who have the power to change their countries’ positions arrive – was beginning.