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The environment minister, Marina Silva, has called on every country to show the courage needed to address the necessity of a worldwide transition away from fossil fuels, describing the creation of a detailed plan as an “ethical” answer to the global warming emergency.

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

The topic remains one of the most contentious matters at the COP30 in the host country, with nations split over whether and how such a strategy can be discussed. Hosting the event, Brazil has adopted a carefully neutral stance on which items can be included on the formal schedule.

The official voiced support for the potential of a roadmap, without explicitly pledging Brazil to it. The minister remarked: “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 advance.”

Speaking further, the minister noted: “The roadmap is an answer to our scientific understanding [of the climate crisis]. It is an moral answer.”

Scores of countries meeting in the host city for the UN climate summit, which is entering its second week, are aiming to establish how a global transition of fossil fuels could work. These nations aim to build on a historic agreement reached two years ago at a previous UN summit to “transition away from non-renewable energy sources.”

The pledge had no a timetable or specifics on the way it could be realized, and even though it was adopted unanimously, some countries have since attempted to disavow the promise. Attempts last year to expand on its real-world implications were blocked by resistance from oil-dependent nations at another UN summit.

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

For these reasons, Brazil has been wary of calls by some nations to place the phaseout on the schedule for the current summit. But the minister has worked hard in private to ensure the topic could be discussed at the conference outside the official program.

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

“The issue is something that we know at some point had to be raised, because it is the sole way to address the problem from the root,” Marina Silva said. “We recognise that it is not easy, and we cannot offer false hopes. Bringing up the subject is brave, and I hope [to see] this courage from all, from producing nations and using countries.”

The nation had not initiated the push for a phaseout, the minister said, because that had been initiated at COP28. Instead, it was allowing the talks to occur in accordance with what certain nations desired. “We know these topics are sensitive. We will provide the chance to talk about 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 carbon-based energy, or aimed to use the revenue from exporting fossil fuels to finance their economic growth.

“The country brings up the topic, because Brazil is simultaneously a producer and user,” the minister said. “But Brazil is unique, because it, if it wants to, need not rely on fossil fuels. We have to understand that there are certain nations that depend on fossil fuels in their economies and lack easy solutions, and some where fossil fuels are the foundation of their economy.

“To be fair is to be fair to everyone, but the fundamental, primordial justice is not being unfair to the planet, because it is our shared home.”

Should the proposal receives enough support, COP30 could set up a platform in which the process of drawing up a roadmap to the phaseout could start.

The endeavor would involve dialogue with all participating countries to the UN climate treaty and criteria for how the process would unfold, the minister said. “After we have standards, a governance structure can be drawn up; after we have a plan, and create protections to be able to build confidence in the process, I believe that with these components we can turn positive concepts into steps that are more defined, and more tangible.”

It is uncertain that a proposal to start drawing up a roadmap would win approval at COP30, although it does not require the official consent of the conference, which proceeds by unanimous agreement and can be hijacked by special interests. COP experts have indicated they think there could be backing for such a idea from about 60 countries, but there are thought to be at least 40 opposed. There are 195 nations participating at the negotiations.

“Despite being the root cause of climate change, carbon-based energy are about the most contentious topic there is within the UN negotiations, so to see a sizable group of countries openly backing a route to realizing global phaseout is in itself highly significant.”

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

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

Discussions carried on on Saturday on four unresolved topics that have still not been included into the formal agenda: trade, openness, funding and how to address the shortfall between the emissions cuts countries have proposed and those needed to hold to the 1.5-degree temperature limit.

The summit president promised a “note” that would cover these matters, after consultations – which have been underway since the start of the week – were unresolved. He called on countries to embrace the “mutirão” attitude, meaning one of collaboration and constructive discussion.

Work on additional key topics – such as adaptation to the effects of the climate crisis, the just transition for those impacted by the move to a low-carbon economic system and how to strengthen governance capabilities in less developed nations – carried on productively, the presidency said.

Brazil’s lead representative said the technical part of the summit proceedings was approaching completion, and the political phase – when ministers who have the power to change their nations' positions arrive – was starting.