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Brazil’s climate chief, the minister, has urged all nations to show the bravery needed to confront the necessity of a global fossil fuel phaseout, labeling the creation of a roadmap as an “ethical” response to the climate crisis.

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

The topic stands as one of the most contentious subjects at the COP30 in the host country, with nations divided over whether and in what way such a strategy can be addressed. Hosting the event, Brazil has adopted a balanced position on which items can be included on the formal schedule.

The official voiced approval for the potential of a plan, without explicitly committing Brazil to it. The minister stated: “When we have a terrain that is quite grim, it is good that we have a map. But the guide does not force us to travel, or to advance.”

Speaking further, she noted: “The map is an answer to our scientific understanding [of the climate emergency]. It is an moral answer.”

Scores of countries meeting in the host city 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 be implemented. These nations hope to advance a historic resolution made two years ago at a previous UN summit to “move away from fossil fuels.”

That pledge lacked a timetable or details on how it could be realized, and even though it was passed by all, some nations have later tried to disavow the promise. Efforts last year to expand on its real-world implications were stymied by opposition from petrostates at COP29.

As a result, there was no mention of the shift away from fossil fuels in the final agreement of COP29.

Because of this, Brazil has been cautious of calls by certain countries to include the transition on the agenda for COP30. But Silva has strived in private to make sure the topic could be talked about at the summit outside the formal agenda.

The minister convinced the nation's president, who made public reference repeatedly to the need to “shift from reliance on traditional energy” at the summit of world leaders that preceded the conference, and at the start of the event.

“This is something that we understand at some point had to be raised, because it is the only way to face the problem from the source,” the minister explained. “We recognise that it is not easy, and we cannot sell unrealistic expectations. Bringing up the topic is courageous, and I hope [to see] this bravery from all, from producers and using countries.”

Brazil had not started the call for a transition, the minister clarified, because that had been done at the earlier summit. Rather, it was enabling the talks to occur in accordance with what some countries desired. “We know these topics are sensitive. We will provide the opportunity to discuss it,” the minister added.

There is not enough time at the summit to draw up a roadmap, a task Silva said could take a number of years because many countries faced complex challenges around reliance on fossil fuels, or wanted to use the proceeds from selling oil and gas to fund their development.

“The country raises the topic, because it is both a producing nation and user,” she said. “But the nation is unique, because it, if it wants to, does not have to depend on fossil fuels. We have to understand that there are some that rely on carbon energy in their economic systems and lack simple alternatives, and others where fossil fuels are the basis of their economy.

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

Should the proposal receives sufficient backing, COP30 could establish a platform in which the work of drawing up a strategy to the phaseout could begin.

The process would require dialogue with every participating countries to the UN climate treaty and criteria for how the process would proceed, Silva said. “Once we have criteria, a governance structure can be developed; after we have a plan, and create protections to be able to establish confidence in the system, I believe that with these components we can turn good ideas into steps that are clearer, and more concrete.”

There is no guarantee that a suggestion to start developing a plan would win approval at the conference, although it does not require the formal consent of the summit, which operates by unanimous agreement and can be disrupted by special interests. COP experts have indicated they think there could be backing for such a idea from about sixty countries, but there are believed to be at least 40 against. A total of one hundred ninety-five nations represented at the negotiations.

“In spite of being the primary source of global warming, carbon-based energy are about the most contentious subject there is within the UN negotiations, so to see a chunky group of nations openly backing a route to realizing worldwide phaseout is in itself pretty groundbreaking.”

“Put simply, there’s no path to a world where warming stays below 1.5C in which countries cannot to talk about fossil fuel phaseout.”

“We need this wording for real in this discussion. It’s highly illogical that we talk about everything but that when the main issue are the real problem.”

Negotiations continued on Saturday on four unresolved issues that have not yet been incorporated into the formal agenda: commerce, transparency, funding and how to tackle the gap between the emissions cuts nations have proposed and those needed to hold to the 1.5-degree warming target.

A summit chair pledged a “document” that would cover these issues, after consultations – which have been underway since Monday – were inconclusive. The official urged countries to embrace the “mutirão” attitude, referring to one of collaboration and constructive dialogue.

Work on other substantive issues – such as adaptation to the effects of the climate crisis, the just transition for those affected by the move to a low-carbon economy and how to strengthen governance capabilities in developing countries – proceeded constructively, the host said.

The host nation's chief negotiator stated the technical phase of the summit process was approaching the end, and the political phase – when ministers who have the power to alter their countries’ positions arrive – was starting.