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Brazil’s environment minister, Marina Silva, has urged every country to demonstrate the bravery needed to confront the imperative of a worldwide transition away from fossil fuels, describing the development of a detailed plan as an “ethical” response to the global warming emergency.

The minister stressed, however, that participation in this process would be voluntary and “self-determined” for willing governments.

The topic stands as one of the most contentious subjects at the COP30 in the host country, with nations split over if and how such a strategy can be addressed. Hosting the event, the nation has adopted a carefully neutral position on which items can be placed on the official agenda.

Silva expressed support for the potential of a roadmap, without explicitly pledging Brazil to it. The minister remarked: “When we have a terrain that is very challenging, it is good that we have a guide. But the map does not force us to travel, or to climb.”

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

Dozens of countries gathered in the host city for the UN climate summit, which is entering its next phase, are aiming to determine how a worldwide transition of fossil fuels could work. These nations aim to build on a landmark agreement reached two years ago at COP28 to “transition away from non-renewable energy sources.”

The commitment had no a schedule or specifics on the way it could be achieved, and even though it was adopted by all, several countries have since attempted to back away from the promise. Efforts last year to expand on its practical meaning were blocked by resistance from oil-dependent nations at another UN summit.

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

For these reasons, Brazil has been cautious of calls by some nations to include the phaseout on the agenda for the current summit. But the minister has worked hard in private to ensure the topic could be discussed at the summit apart from the formal program.

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

“This is something that we know at a certain time had to be raised, because it is the only way to address the issue from the root,” the minister explained. “We recognise that it is challenging, and we cannot sell false hopes. Raising the topic is brave, and I wish [to see] this courage from all, from producing nations and consumers.”

Brazil had not initiated the push for a transition, the minister said, because that had been initiated at COP28. Rather, it was allowing the talks to occur in line with what certain countries desired. “We understand these subjects are sensitive. We will provide the opportunity to talk about it,” she added.

Time is insufficient at the summit to create a roadmap, a process Silva called could take a number of years because numerous nations confronted complicated issues around dependence on fossil fuels, or wanted to use the revenue from selling fossil fuels to fund their development.

“Brazil brings up the topic, because it is both a producer and user,” the minister said. “But Brazil is unique, because Brazil, if it wants to, does not have to rely on fossil fuels. We have to understand that there are some that depend on carbon energy in their economic systems and don’t have easy alternatives, and others where fossil fuels are the basis of their economic structure.

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

Should the proposal receives sufficient support, the summit could establish a platform in which the work of creating a strategy to the transition could start.

The endeavor would require dialogue with all participating countries to the UN climate treaty and criteria for how the process would unfold, Silva said. “After we have standards, a management framework can be developed; once we have a plan, and create protections to be able to establish trust in the system, I believe that with these elements we can transform good ideas into steps that are clearer, and more tangible.”

There is no guarantee that a proposal to begin drawing up a plan would win approval at COP30, although it does not require the official approval of the conference, which proceeds by consensus and can be hijacked by special interests. COP experts have suggested they think there could be backing for such a proposal from about sixty nations, but there are believed to be at least 40 against. There are 195 nations participating at the negotiations.

“In spite of being the primary source of global warming, fossil fuels are about the most contentious subject there is within the UN negotiations, so to see a chunky group of nations openly supporting a path to achieving global phaseout is in itself pretty groundbreaking.”

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

“We need this language for real in this discussion. It’s highly illogical that we discuss all topics but that when the main issue are the actual problem.”

Negotiations continued on Saturday on several unresolved topics that have not yet been included into the official schedule: trade, transparency, funding and how to address the shortfall between the carbon reduction nations have planned and those required to keep to the 1.5-degree warming target.

A summit chair pledged a “note” that would address these issues, after discussions – which have been underway since Monday – were inconclusive. The official called on nations to embrace the “mutirão” attitude, referring to one of collaboration and positive dialogue.

Progress on other substantive topics – such as adjustment to the effects of the climate crisis, the fair shift for those affected by the move to a low-carbon economy and how to strengthen governance capabilities in developing countries – proceeded constructively, the host reported.

The host nation's chief negotiator stated the detailed part of the summit proceedings was approaching completion, and the political phase – when government leaders who have the power to alter their nations' positions join – was starting.