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The environment minister, the minister, has urged every country to demonstrate the courage needed to address the necessity of a worldwide transition away from fossil fuels, labeling the development of a roadmap as an “ethical” response to the climate crisis.

She emphasized, though, that participation in this process would be voluntary and “self-determined” for interested governments.

This issue stands as one of the most contentious matters at the COP30 in the host country, with countries divided over whether and how such a strategy can be discussed. As the host, the nation has adopted a balanced position on which items can be placed on the official agenda.

Silva voiced approval for the possibility of a plan, though not directly pledging Brazil to it. The minister remarked: “When we have a terrain that is very challenging, it is helpful that we have a guide. But the guide does not compel us to travel, or to advance.”

Speaking further, she noted: “The roadmap is an answer to our scientific knowledge [of the climate emergency]. It is an ethical response.”

Dozens of nations gathered in Belém for the UN climate summit, which is entering its next phase, are seeking to establish how a global phaseout of oil, gas, and coal could work. These nations aim to build on a historic agreement reached two years ago at a previous UN summit to “transition away from fossil fuels.”

The pledge had no a timetable or specifics on the way it could be realized, and although it was passed by all, several countries have since attempted to back away from the pledge. Efforts last year to elaborate on its practical meaning were blocked by resistance from oil-dependent nations at COP29.

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

For these reasons, Brazil has been cautious of demands by certain nations to include the transition on the agenda for the current summit. But the minister has worked hard in private to ensure the pledge could be discussed at the conference outside the formal agenda.

She convinced the nation's leader, who gave public reference repeatedly to the need to “shift from dependence on fossil fuels” at the summit of world leaders that came before COP30, and at the start of the summit.

“This is a matter that we know at some point had to be raised, because it is the only way to address the problem from the root,” the minister said. “We recognise that it is challenging, and we cannot offer false hopes. Bringing up the topic is brave, and I hope [to see] this bravery from everyone, from producing nations and using countries.”

The nation had not initiated the push for a transition, she clarified, because that had been done at the earlier summit. Rather, it was allowing the discussions to take place in accordance with what certain countries wished. “We know these topics are sensitive. We will give the chance to discuss it,” the minister said.

There is not enough time at COP30 to draw up a detailed plan, a process Silva said could take a number of years because numerous countries confronted complicated challenges around dependence on fossil fuels, or aimed to use the proceeds from exporting fossil fuels to finance their development.

“The country brings up the subject, because Brazil is both a producing nation and consumer,” she said. “But Brazil is different, because it, if it chooses to, does not have to depend on fossil fuels. We have to recognise that there are some that rely on fossil fuels in their economies and don’t have simple solutions, and some where oil and gas are the foundation of their economic structure.

“To be just is to be just to everyone, but the fundamental, basic fairness is not being unjust to the planet, because it is our shared home.”

If the proposal receives enough backing, the summit could establish a platform in which the process of drawing up a strategy to the transition could begin.

This endeavor would involve discussions with all signatory nations to the UN framework convention on climate change and guidelines for how the process would unfold, Silva said. “Once we have criteria, a management framework can be developed; after we have a strategy, and create protections to be able to establish trust in the system, I am confident that with these components we can transform positive concepts into steps that are clearer, and more concrete.”

It is uncertain that a suggestion to start developing a plan would win approval at COP30, even if it does not require the official approval of the summit, which operates by consensus and can be disrupted by particular groups. Climate analysts have suggested they believe there could be support for such a idea from about sixty countries, but there are thought to be at least forty against. There are one hundred ninety-five countries represented at the talks.

“In spite of being the root cause of climate change, carbon-based energy are about the most contentious topic there is within the international climate talks, so to see a sizable coalition of nations openly backing a path to achieving global phaseout is in itself pretty groundbreaking.”

“In simple terms, there’s no path to a planet where temperature rise stays below 1.5C in which nations cannot to discuss fossil fuel phaseout.”

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

Negotiations continued on Saturday on several outstanding topics that have still not been incorporated into the official agenda: trade, transparency, finance and how to tackle the shortfall between the emissions cuts countries have planned and those needed to hold to the 1.5-degree temperature target.

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

Progress on other key issues – including adjustment to the effects of the climate crisis, the fair shift for those impacted by the transition to a low-carbon economy and how to strengthen institutional capacity in developing countries – carried on constructively, the host reported.

The host nation's lead representative stated the technical part of the COP process was nearing the end, and the high-level phase – when ministers who have the authority to alter their countries’ positions join – was starting.