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Brazil’s environment minister, Marina Silva, has urged every country to show the courage needed to address the imperative of a worldwide transition away from fossil fuels, describing the creation of a roadmap as an “ethical” response to the global warming emergency.

The minister stressed, however, that involvement in this endeavor would be optional and “independently decided” for interested governments.

This issue remains one of the most debated matters at the COP30 in the host country, with countries split over if and in what way such a roadmap can be discussed. As the host, Brazil has adopted a carefully neutral stance on which items can be included on the official agenda.

The official voiced support for the possibility of a plan, without explicitly pledging Brazil to it. She stated: “When we have a terrain that is very challenging, it is good that we have a guide. But the map does not compel us to proceed, or to advance.”

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

Scores of nations meeting in Belém for the global climate conference, which is entering its second week, are aiming to determine how a global phaseout of oil, gas, and coal could work. These nations aim to build on a landmark agreement made two years ago at COP28 to “move away from non-renewable energy sources.”

The pledge had no a timetable or specifics on the way it could be achieved, and although it was adopted by all, several nations have since attempted to disavow the promise. Attempts last year to elaborate on its real-world meaning were blocked by opposition from petrostates at another UN summit.

Consequently, there was no reference of the transition away from carbon fuels in the final agreement of that conference.

Because of this, the host has been cautious of calls by certain nations to place the phaseout on the agenda for the current summit. But Silva has worked hard in private to ensure the pledge could be discussed at the summit outside the formal program.

She won over the nation's president, who gave mention repeatedly to the need to “move away from reliance on fossil fuels” at the global leaders' meeting that preceded COP30, and at the start of the event.

“The issue is something that we understand 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 recognise that it is not easy, and we must not offer unrealistic expectations. Raising the topic is courageous, and I hope [to see] this bravery from all, from producing nations and consumers.”

Brazil had not started the push for a transition, she said, because that had been initiated at COP28. Instead, it was allowing the discussions to occur in accordance with what some nations wished. “We know these subjects are delicate. We will give the chance to discuss it,” she said.

Time is insufficient at COP30 to create a detailed plan, a process Silva called could take a number of years because numerous countries faced complicated issues around reliance on fossil fuels, or aimed to use the proceeds from exporting oil and gas to finance their economic growth.

“The country raises the topic, because it is both a producer and consumer,” the minister noted. “But Brazil is different, because Brazil, if it wants to, need not depend 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 just is to be fair to all, but the fundamental, primordial fairness is not being unjust to the planet, because it is our home.”

If the pledge receives sufficient support, COP30 could establish a platform in which the work of drawing up a roadmap to the transition could start.

This endeavor would involve discussions with every signatory nations to the UN climate treaty and guidelines for how the process would proceed, the minister said. “After we have criteria, a governance structure can be developed; once we have a plan, and establish protections to be able to build confidence in the system, I believe that with these components we can transform good ideas into actions that are more defined, and more tangible.”

There is no guarantee that a proposal to begin developing a plan would win approval at the conference, even if it does not require the official consent of the conference, which proceeds by consensus and can be hijacked by special interests. COP experts have suggested they think there could be support for such a proposal from about sixty countries, but there are thought to be at least forty against. There are 195 countries participating at the talks.

“In spite of being the root cause of climate change, carbon-based energy are about the most contentious topic there is within the international climate talks, so to see a chunky coalition of countries publicly backing a path to realizing global phaseout is in itself pretty groundbreaking.”

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

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

Discussions carried on on the weekend on four unresolved topics that have still not been incorporated into the official agenda: commerce, openness, funding and how to tackle the shortfall between the emissions cuts countries have proposed and those needed to hold to the 1.5C temperature limit.

The summit chair pledged a “note” that would cover these matters, after consultations – which have been going on since the start of the week – were unresolved. He called on countries to adopt the “mutirão” spirit, meaning one of collaboration and positive dialogue.

Work on other substantive topics – including adjustment to the effects of the climate emergency, the fair shift for those affected by the transition to a green economy and how to strengthen institutional capacity in less developed nations – proceeded constructively, the host said.

The host nation's lead representative stated the technical phase of the summit proceedings was approaching completion, and the high-level phase – when ministers who have the authority to alter their nations' positions arrive – was beginning.