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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 global transition away from fossil fuels, labeling the development of a roadmap as an “ethical” answer to the climate crisis.

She stressed, though, that participation in this endeavor would be optional and “self-determined” for interested governments.

This issue remains one of the most contentious matters at the UN climate summit in Brazil, with nations divided over whether and how such a strategy can be discussed. Hosting the event, Brazil has adopted a carefully neutral position on which items can be placed on the official schedule.

The official voiced approval for the potential of a roadmap, without explicitly committing Brazil to it. The minister stated: “When we have a terrain that is quite grim, it is good that we have a guide. But the guide does not force us to proceed, or to advance.”

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

Dozens of countries meeting in the host city for the UN climate summit, which is starting its next phase, are seeking to determine how a global transition of fossil fuels could work. These nations aim to build on a historic agreement reached two years ago at COP28 to “transition away from fossil fuels.”

That commitment had no a timetable or details on how it could be realized, and although it was adopted unanimously, some countries have since attempted to back away from the promise. Efforts last year to elaborate on its real-world meaning were stymied by opposition from oil-dependent nations at COP29.

Consequently, there was no reference of the transition away from carbon fuels in the outcome of that conference.

For these reasons, Brazil has been wary of demands by some nations to include the transition on the schedule for COP30. But the minister has strived behind the scenes to make sure the pledge could be talked about at the conference outside the formal program.

She convinced the nation's president, and he gave public reference three times to the need to “move away from reliance on fossil fuels” at the global leaders' meeting that came before the conference, and at the opening of the event.

“This is something that we know at a certain time had to be raised, because it is the sole way to face the issue from the source,” Marina Silva explained. “We recognise that it is challenging, and we cannot sell unrealistic expectations. Bringing up the topic is courageous, and I wish [to see] this bravery from everyone, from producers and consumers.”

Brazil had not initiated the call for a transition, she clarified, because that had been initiated at the earlier summit. Rather, it was enabling the talks to take place in line with what some countries wished. “We know these topics are sensitive. We will give the opportunity to discuss it,” the minister added.

There is not enough time at the summit to draw up a detailed plan, a process the minister said could take several years because many nations faced complex challenges around dependence on fossil fuels, or aimed to use the proceeds from selling fossil fuels to finance their development.

“Brazil raises the topic, because Brazil is both a producer and consumer,” the minister said. “But Brazil is different, because Brazil, if it chooses to, does not have to rely on fossil fuels. We have to understand that there are some that rely on fossil fuels in their economic systems and don’t have simple alternatives, and others where oil and gas are the foundation of their economic structure.

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

If the proposal gains sufficient support, the summit could establish a platform in which the work of creating a roadmap to the phaseout could start.

This endeavor would require discussions with all signatory countries to the UN climate treaty and criteria for how the initiative would proceed, the minister explained. “Once we have standards, a governance structure can be drawn up; once we have a strategy, and establish safeguards to be able to establish trust in the process, I believe that with these components we can transform positive concepts into steps that are more defined, and more tangible.”

There is no guarantee that a suggestion to start developing a plan would win approval at the conference, although it may not need the formal consent of the summit, which proceeds by consensus and can be hijacked by particular groups. COP experts have indicated they believe there could be backing for such a idea from about 60 nations, but there are thought to be at least forty opposed. A total of 195 countries represented at the talks.

“Despite being the root cause of global warming, fossil fuels are about the most divisive topic there is within the UN negotiations, so to see a sizable coalition of nations publicly supporting a route to realizing global phaseout is in itself pretty groundbreaking.”

“In simple terms, there’s no route to a planet where temperature rise stays below 1.5C in which nations aren’t able to discuss ending fossil fuel use.”

“We need this language for actual in this conversation. It’s highly illogical that we discuss all topics but then when fossil fuels are the real problem.”

Discussions carried on on the weekend on several outstanding topics that have not yet been incorporated into the formal schedule: trade, transparency, funding and how to tackle the shortfall between the emissions cuts nations have proposed and those needed to keep to the 1.5C temperature target.

A COP30 president pledged a “document” that would address these issues, after consultations – which have been underway since Monday – were inconclusive. He called on countries to adopt the “mutirão” spirit, referring to one of collaboration and positive discussion.

Progress on additional substantive issues – such as adjustment to the effects of the climate emergency, the just transition for those impacted by the move to a low-carbon economic system and how to build governance capabilities in developing countries – carried on productively, the presidency said.

Brazil’s chief negotiator stated the technical phase of the summit process was approaching completion, and the high-level phase – when government leaders who have the authority to change their countries’ stances join – was beginning.