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Brazil’s climate chief, the minister, has called on all nations to demonstrate the bravery needed to confront the imperative of a worldwide fossil fuel phaseout, describing the development of a detailed plan as an “moral” response to the global warming emergency.

She stressed, though, that participation in this process would be voluntary and “independently decided” for willing nations.

The topic stands as one of the most debated matters at the UN climate summit in Brazil, with countries divided over whether and in what way such a roadmap can be addressed. Hosting the event, Brazil has adopted a carefully neutral stance on which items can be included on the official agenda.

Silva expressed support for the potential of a plan, without explicitly committing the country to it. The minister stated: “In times we have a situation that is quite grim, it is helpful that we have a map. But the map does not force us to travel, or to climb.”

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

Scores of countries gathered in Belém for the UN climate summit, which is starting its second week, are seeking to determine how a worldwide phaseout of fossil fuels could be implemented. They 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 lacked a schedule or specifics on the way it could be achieved, and although it was adopted unanimously, several nations have since attempted to back away from the pledge. Efforts last year to expand on its real-world implications were stymied by opposition from petrostates at COP29.

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

Because of this, Brazil has been cautious of demands by certain countries to place the phaseout on the schedule for the current summit. But Silva has strived in private to ensure the topic could be talked about at the conference outside the official agenda.

The minister won over Brazil’s president, and he gave mention repeatedly to the need to “shift from dependence on traditional energy” at the global leaders' meeting that preceded the conference, and at the opening of the event.

“This is something that we know at a certain time had to be put forward, because it is the only way to face the problem from the root,” the minister said. “We acknowledge that it is challenging, and we must not offer false hopes. Raising the topic is brave, and I hope [to see] this bravery from all, from producers and consumers.”

The nation had not initiated the push for a transition, the minister said, because that had been initiated at the earlier summit. Instead, it was enabling the discussions to occur in line with what certain countries wished. “We know these subjects are sensitive. 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 a number of years because many nations confronted complex issues around dependence on carbon-based energy, or aimed to use the proceeds from selling fossil fuels to finance their development.

“The country raises the topic, because it is both a producing nation and user,” she 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 rely on fossil fuels in their economic systems and lack simple alternatives, and others where oil and gas are the basis of their economic structure.

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

If the proposal gains sufficient support, COP30 could establish a platform in which the work of drawing up a roadmap to the phaseout could start.

The endeavor would involve discussions with every participating nations to the UN framework convention on climate change and guidelines for how the initiative would unfold, the minister said. “Once we have standards, a management framework can be developed; after we have a strategy, and establish protections to be able to build confidence in the system, I am confident that with these elements we can transform good ideas into steps that are clearer, and more tangible.”

It is uncertain that a proposal to start drawing up a plan would be accepted at the conference, even if it may not need the official approval of the conference, which operates by unanimous agreement and can be hijacked by particular groups. Climate experts have indicated they think there could be support for such a idea from about sixty nations, but there are thought to be at least forty against. A total of 195 countries participating at the talks.

“Despite being the primary source of global warming, fossil fuels are about the most contentious subject there is within the international climate talks, so to see a chunky coalition of nations openly backing a route to achieving global phaseout is in itself highly significant.”

“Put simply, there’s no path to a planet where warming stays below 1.5C in which nations aren’t able to talk about ending fossil fuel use.”

“We require this language for actual in this conversation. It’s quite stupid that we talk about 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 formal schedule: commerce, transparency, finance and how to address the gap between the carbon reduction countries have proposed and those needed to keep to the 1.5C warming target.

A COP30 chair pledged a “document” that would cover these issues, after discussions – which have been underway since Monday – were unresolved. The official urged nations to adopt the “mutirão” attitude, meaning one of cooperation and positive discussion.

Work on additional key issues – such as adjustment to the effects of the climate crisis, the fair shift for those affected by the move to a low-carbon economy and how to strengthen institutional capacity in less developed nations – carried on constructively, the presidency reported.

Brazil’s lead representative stated the detailed part of the summit process was approaching completion, and the political phase – when government leaders who have the power to alter their countries’ stances join – was beginning.