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Brazil’s environment minister, Marina Silva, has called on every country to demonstrate the courage needed to confront the imperative of a global transition away from fossil fuels, labeling the creation of a roadmap as an “ethical” response to the global warming emergency.

She emphasized, though, that involvement in this endeavor would be optional and “independently decided” for interested nations.

The topic remains one of the most debated matters at the UN climate summit in the host country, with nations split over if and in what way such a roadmap can be discussed. Hosting the event, the nation has maintained a carefully neutral position on which items can be placed on the official agenda.

The official voiced support for the potential of a roadmap, without directly committing Brazil to it. The minister stated: “When we have a situation that is very challenging, it is good that we have a map. But the map does not compel us to travel, or to climb.”

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

Dozens of nations meeting in Belém for the global climate conference, which is starting its second week, are aiming to establish how a global transition of fossil fuels could be implemented. They aim to build on a landmark agreement reached two years ago at a previous UN summit to “move away from non-renewable energy sources.”

That pledge lacked a schedule or specifics on how it could be realized, and although it was passed unanimously, some nations have later tried to disavow the promise. Attempts last year to expand on its real-world implications were blocked by resistance from petrostates at COP29.

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

Because of this, Brazil has been cautious of demands by some countries to include the phaseout on the agenda for the current summit. But Silva has worked hard behind the scenes to ensure the topic could be talked about at the conference apart from the official agenda.

She convinced the nation's leader, who made mention three times to the need to “shift from reliance on fossil fuels” at the global leaders' meeting that preceded COP30, and at the opening of the event.

“The issue is a matter that we understand at a certain time had to be put forward, because it is the only way to address the issue from the source,” the minister said. “We acknowledge that it is not easy, and we cannot offer false hopes. Raising the subject is courageous, and I hope [to see] this courage from all, from producers and using countries.”

The nation had not initiated the call for a transition, the minister said, because that had been done at COP28. Rather, it was allowing the talks to take place in line with what certain countries desired. “We understand these subjects are delicate. We will give the opportunity to talk about it,” the minister added.

Time is insufficient at the summit to draw up a roadmap, a process Silva called could take several years because many nations confronted complicated issues around dependence on fossil fuels, or wanted to use the proceeds from exporting oil and gas to finance their development.

“The country raises the subject, because Brazil is simultaneously a producer and consumer,” the minister noted. “But the nation is different, because Brazil, if it wants to, does not have to depend on non-renewables. We have to understand that there are some that depend on fossil fuels in their economies and lack easy alternatives, and others where fossil fuels are the foundation of their economic structure.

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

Should the pledge receives sufficient backing, the summit could set up a forum in which the work of drawing up a strategy to the phaseout could start.

The process would involve dialogue with every participating countries to the UN climate treaty and criteria for how the initiative would proceed, Silva said. “After we have criteria, a management framework can be drawn up; once we have a strategy, and establish protections to be able to build trust in the system, I am confident that with these components we can turn positive concepts into steps that are more defined, and more concrete.”

It is uncertain that a suggestion to start drawing up a plan would win approval at the conference, although it may not need the formal consent of the conference, which operates by consensus and can be disrupted by particular groups. Climate analysts have indicated they think there could be support for such a idea from about sixty nations, but there are believed to be at least 40 against. There are 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 sizable coalition of countries openly backing a path to achieving global phaseout is in itself pretty groundbreaking.”

“Put simply, there’s no route to a planet where warming remains below 1.5 degrees in which nations cannot to discuss ending fossil fuel use.”

“We require this language for real in this conversation. It’s highly illogical that we discuss all topics but that when the main issue are the real challenge.”

Discussions carried on on the weekend on several outstanding issues that have not yet been incorporated into the formal schedule: trade, transparency, finance and how to address the gap between the carbon reduction nations have planned and those required to hold to the 1.5C warming target.

The COP30 chair pledged a “note” that would cover these matters, after discussions – which have been going on since the start of the week – were unresolved. The official urged countries to embrace the “mutirão” attitude, meaning one of cooperation and positive dialogue.

Work on other key topics – including adaptation to the effects of the climate crisis, the fair shift for those affected by the transition to a green economy and how to strengthen institutional capacity in developing countries – carried on constructively, the host said.

The host nation's chief negotiator stated the technical part of the COP process was approaching the end, and the high-level phase – when government leaders who have the authority to alter their countries’ positions join – was starting.