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Brazil’s climate chief, the minister, has called on every country to demonstrate the courage needed to confront the imperative of a global transition away from fossil fuels, labeling the development of a roadmap as an “ethical” response to the climate crisis.

She stressed, however, that participation in this process would be voluntary and “self-determined” for willing 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 how such a strategy can be discussed. Hosting the event, Brazil has adopted a balanced stance on which items can be placed on the formal agenda.

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

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

Dozens of countries meeting in the host city for the UN climate summit, which is entering its next phase, are seeking to establish how a global transition of fossil fuels could work. They hope to build on a historic resolution reached two years ago at a previous UN summit to “move away from non-renewable energy sources.”

The commitment lacked a schedule or specifics on the way it could be realized, and although it was passed unanimously, some countries have later tried to disavow the promise. Attempts 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 that conference.

For these reasons, the host has been wary of calls by certain nations to include the phaseout on the agenda for the current summit. But Silva has strived in private to ensure the pledge could be talked about at the conference apart from the formal program.

She won over the nation's president, and he made public reference repeatedly to the need to “shift from reliance on traditional energy” at the global leaders' meeting that preceded COP30, and at the opening of the summit.

“The issue is something that we understand at a certain time had to be put forward, because it is the sole way to face the issue from the source,” the minister explained. “We acknowledge that it is not easy, and we must not offer false hopes. Bringing up the subject is courageous, and I hope [to see] this courage from all, from producing nations and using countries.”

Brazil had not started the push for a transition, the minister said, because that had been done at COP28. Instead, it was enabling the talks to occur in accordance with what some nations desired. “We know these topics are sensitive. We will provide the opportunity to discuss it,” she added.

Time is insufficient at COP30 to create a detailed plan, a process the minister said could take a number of years because many countries faced complex issues around reliance on carbon-based energy, or aimed to use the revenue from exporting oil and gas to finance their development.

“Brazil brings up the subject, because it is simultaneously a producing nation and consumer,” the minister noted. “But the nation is different, because it, if it wants to, need not rely on non-renewables. We have to recognise that there are some that depend on fossil fuels in their economies and don’t have easy alternatives, and some where fossil fuels are the basis of their economy.

“To be just 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 pledge receives sufficient backing, COP30 could set up a forum in which the work of creating a strategy to the transition could start.

This endeavor would require discussions with all participating nations to the UN framework convention on climate change and criteria for how the initiative would proceed, Silva explained. “After we have criteria, a governance structure can be developed; once we have a strategy, and establish protections to be able to build confidence in the system, I believe that with these components we can turn good ideas into steps that are clearer, and more tangible.”

It is uncertain that a proposal to begin drawing up a roadmap would win approval at the conference, even if it may not need the official consent of the summit, which operates by consensus and can be disrupted by particular groups. COP experts have suggested they think there could be backing for such a proposal from about 60 countries, but there are thought to be at least forty against. There are one hundred ninety-five countries participating at the negotiations.

“In spite of being the primary source of climate change, carbon-based energy are about the most divisive subject there is within the international climate talks, so to see a chunky coalition of countries publicly supporting a route to realizing global transition is in itself highly significant.”

“Put simply, there’s no path to a world where temperature rise remains below 1.5 degrees in which nations aren’t able to talk about ending fossil fuel use.”

“We require this wording for real in this discussion. It’s quite stupid that we discuss all topics but then when fossil fuels are the actual problem.”

Negotiations continued on Saturday on four unresolved issues that have not yet been incorporated into the official agenda: trade, transparency, finance and how to address the shortfall between the carbon reduction countries have planned and those needed to hold to the 1.5C warming limit.

A summit president pledged a “document” that would address these issues, after discussions – which have been going on since the start of the week – were inconclusive. He called on countries to adopt the “mutirão” spirit, meaning one of cooperation and constructive dialogue.

Work on additional substantive topics – including adjustment to the impacts of the climate crisis, the just transition for those impacted by the move to a low-carbon economy and how to strengthen governance capabilities in less developed nations – proceeded productively, the host reported.

Brazil’s lead representative said the technical phase of the COP process was nearing completion, and the high-level stage – when ministers who have the power to alter their countries’ stances arrive – was starting.