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Brazil’s environment minister, Marina Silva, has urged all nations to demonstrate the courage 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 global warming emergency.

The minister emphasized, however, that involvement in this process would be voluntary and “independently decided” for interested nations.

The topic stands as one of the most contentious matters at the UN climate summit in the host country, with nations split over whether and how such a roadmap can be addressed. As the host, Brazil has adopted a carefully neutral stance on what can be included on the official agenda.

The official expressed support for the potential of a roadmap, though not explicitly committing Brazil to it. The minister stated: “When we have a situation that is quite grim, it is helpful that we have a map. But the guide does not force us to proceed, or to advance.”

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

Scores of countries gathered in Belém for the global climate conference, which is starting its second week, are aiming to determine how a global phaseout of fossil fuels could work. These nations hope to build on a historic agreement reached two years ago at COP28 to “transition away from non-renewable energy sources.”

The pledge lacked a schedule or details on the way it could be realized, and even though it was passed by all, some nations have since tried to disavow the promise. Efforts last year to elaborate on its practical implications were stymied by opposition from oil-dependent nations at COP29.

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

Because of this, the host has been wary of calls by certain countries to place the phaseout on the schedule for the current summit. But Silva has worked hard in private to ensure the topic could be talked about at the conference outside the formal agenda.

She convinced Brazil’s leader, and he gave public reference repeatedly to the need to “move away from reliance on fossil fuels” at the global leaders' meeting that came before COP30, and at the start of the event.

“This is something that we understand at some point had to be raised, because it is the sole way to address the issue from the source,” Marina Silva said. “We acknowledge that it is not easy, and we must not offer unrealistic expectations. Bringing up the subject is brave, and I wish [to see] this bravery from everyone, from producing nations and consumers.”

Brazil had not initiated the call for a phaseout, the minister clarified, because that had been done at COP28. Rather, it was enabling the talks to occur in accordance with what some nations desired. “We understand these subjects are sensitive. We will give the opportunity to discuss it,” she said.

There is not enough time at the summit to create a roadmap, a task the minister said could take several years because many countries confronted complex issues around reliance on fossil fuels, or wanted to use the proceeds from exporting fossil fuels to finance their development.

“Brazil brings up the subject, because it is both a producing nation and consumer,” she noted. “But Brazil is different, because it, if it wants to, does not have to depend on non-renewables. We have to recognise that there are certain nations that rely on fossil fuels in their economies and don’t have easy solutions, and others where fossil fuels are the foundation of their economy.

“To be just is to be just to everyone, but the fundamental, primordial justice is to avoid being unfair to the Earth, because it is our home.”

If the proposal gains sufficient backing, the summit could establish a forum in which the work of creating a strategy to the phaseout could begin.

The endeavor would require dialogue with all signatory countries to the UN framework convention on climate change and criteria for how the process would unfold, Silva explained. “Once we have criteria, a management framework can be developed; after we have a strategy, and establish safeguards to be able to establish confidence in the system, I believe that with these elements we can transform positive concepts into steps 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 may not need the official approval of the conference, which operates by unanimous agreement and can be disrupted by special interests. COP experts have suggested they think there could be support for such a proposal from about sixty countries, but there are believed to be at least forty opposed. A total of 195 countries participating at the talks.

“In spite of being the primary source of global warming, fossil fuels are about the most contentious topic there is within the international climate talks, so to see a chunky coalition of countries publicly supporting a path to realizing global phaseout is in itself highly significant.”

“In simple terms, there’s no path to a world where temperature rise remains below 1.5 degrees in which nations aren’t able to talk about fossil fuel phaseout.”

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

Discussions continued on the weekend on several unresolved issues that have still not been included into the official agenda: trade, transparency, funding and how to address the shortfall between the emissions cuts countries have planned and those required to hold to the 1.5C warming limit.

A COP30 chair pledged a “note” that would cover these issues, after consultations – which have been underway since the start of the week – were unresolved. The official urged countries to adopt the “mutirão” attitude, referring to one of cooperation and positive discussion.

Progress on other key topics – such as adjustment to the effects of the climate emergency, the fair shift for those impacted by the transition to a green economic system and how to build institutional capacity in developing countries – proceeded constructively, the presidency said.

Brazil’s lead representative stated the detailed phase of the summit proceedings was nearing completion, and the high-level phase – when government leaders who have the authority to change their nations' positions join – was beginning.