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Brazil’s climate chief, the minister, has urged every country to show the courage needed to confront the imperative of a worldwide fossil fuel phaseout, describing the development of a roadmap as an “ethical” response to the climate crisis.

She stressed, however, that involvement in this endeavor would be voluntary and “self-determined” for interested governments.

The topic remains one of the most contentious matters at the UN climate summit in the host country, with nations divided over if and in what way such a strategy can be discussed. Hosting the event, the nation has adopted a balanced stance on which items can be placed on the formal agenda.

Silva voiced approval for the potential of a roadmap, though not explicitly committing the country to it. The minister stated: “In times we have a terrain that is very challenging, it is good that we have a map. But the guide does not compel us to proceed, or to climb.”

In an interview, the minister added: “The map is an answer to our scientific knowledge [of the climate crisis]. It is an moral response.”

Dozens of nations gathered in the host city for the global climate conference, which is starting its next phase, are aiming to establish how a worldwide transition of oil, gas, and coal could work. These nations hope to advance a historic resolution reached two years ago at a previous UN summit to “transition away from fossil fuels.”

That commitment had no a schedule or specifics on the way it could be realized, and even though it was adopted unanimously, several nations have since attempted to back away from the pledge. Attempts last year to elaborate on its practical implications were stymied by resistance from oil-dependent nations at another UN summit.

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

For these reasons, the host has been cautious of calls by some countries to include the phaseout on the schedule for the current summit. But the minister has strived behind the scenes to make sure the topic could be talked about at the conference apart from the formal agenda.

She convinced Brazil’s leader, who gave mention three times to the need to “shift from reliance on fossil fuels” at the summit of world leaders 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 issue from the source,” Marina Silva explained. “We acknowledge that it is not easy, and we must not offer false hopes. Bringing up the subject is brave, and I hope [to see] this courage from everyone, from producing nations and consumers.”

The nation had not initiated the push for a transition, she clarified, because that had been done at COP28. Instead, it was allowing the discussions to take place in line with what certain countries wished. “We know these topics are delicate. We will give the opportunity to discuss it,” the minister added.

Time is insufficient at the summit to draw up a roadmap, a task Silva called could take several years because numerous nations faced complex challenges around reliance on fossil fuels, or wanted to use the proceeds from exporting fossil fuels to fund their development.

“The country brings up the topic, because Brazil is simultaneously a producing nation and user,” she said. “But Brazil is different, because Brazil, 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 economic systems and don’t have easy solutions, and others where oil and gas are the basis of their economy.

“To be just is to be just to all, but the essential, primordial justice is not being unjust to the planet, because it is our home.”

If the pledge gains enough support, COP30 could establish a platform in which the work of creating a roadmap to the transition could start.

This process would require dialogue with all participating nations to the UN framework convention on climate change and guidelines for how the process would proceed, Silva explained. “After we have standards, a management framework can be developed; after we have a strategy, and create safeguards 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 concrete.”

There is no guarantee that a proposal to start drawing up a plan would be accepted at the conference, even if it does not require the formal consent of the conference, which operates by unanimous agreement and can be disrupted by particular groups. Climate experts have suggested they believe there could be backing for such a idea from about sixty nations, but there are believed to be at least forty against. There are 195 countries participating at the talks.

“Despite being the root cause 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 openly supporting a route to achieving global transition is in itself pretty groundbreaking.”

“Put simply, there’s no route to a world where temperature rise stays below 1.5 degrees in which countries cannot to discuss ending fossil fuel use.”

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

Discussions carried on on the weekend on four outstanding topics that have still not been included into the official schedule: commerce, transparency, funding and how to address the shortfall between the emissions cuts nations have proposed and those required to keep to the 1.5C temperature target.

The COP30 president promised a “document” that would cover these matters, after consultations – which have been underway since Monday – were inconclusive. He urged nations to embrace the “mutirão” attitude, meaning one of collaboration and positive discussion.

Work on additional key issues – such as adjustment to the effects of the climate crisis, the fair shift for those impacted by the transition to a green economy and how to strengthen institutional capacity in developing countries – carried on constructively, the presidency reported.

The host nation's lead representative said the detailed part of the summit proceedings was approaching completion, and the high-level stage – when government leaders who have the authority to alter their nations' stances join – was starting.