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The environment minister, Marina Silva, has urged all nations to show the courage needed to confront the necessity of a worldwide fossil fuel phaseout, describing the development of a roadmap as an “moral” answer to the climate crisis.

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

This issue stands as one of the most contentious subjects at the COP30 in Brazil, with nations divided over if and in what way such a strategy can be addressed. As the host, Brazil has adopted a carefully neutral position on what can be included on the official agenda.

The official expressed support for the possibility of a roadmap, without directly committing Brazil to it. She stated: “When we have a terrain that is very challenging, it is helpful that we have a guide. But the guide does not force us to travel, or to climb.”

In an interview, the minister added: “The map is an response to our scientific understanding [of the climate crisis]. It is an moral response.”

Dozens of countries meeting in Belém for the global climate conference, which is starting its next phase, are aiming to establish how a worldwide phaseout of oil, gas, and coal could be implemented. These nations hope to build on a historic agreement made two years ago at COP28 to “move away from fossil fuels.”

That pledge had no a timetable or specifics on the way it could be realized, and although it was adopted by all, several countries have later attempted to back away from the pledge. Attempts last year to elaborate on its practical implications were blocked by resistance from oil-dependent nations at another UN summit.

Consequently, 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 cautious of calls by certain nations to include the transition on the agenda for the current summit. But the minister has worked hard behind the scenes to make sure the topic could be discussed at the conference apart from the official program.

The minister convinced the nation's leader, and he made mention repeatedly to the need to “shift from reliance on traditional energy” at the summit of world leaders that preceded the conference, and at the opening of the summit.

“The issue is something that we know at some point had to be raised, because it is the only way to face the problem from the source,” Marina Silva explained. “We recognise that it is not easy, and we must not sell unrealistic expectations. Raising the subject is brave, and I wish [to see] this courage from all, from producing nations and consumers.”

The nation had not started the push for a transition, the minister clarified, because that had been done at the earlier summit. Instead, it was enabling the talks to occur in line with what some nations desired. “We understand these subjects are sensitive. We will give the opportunity to discuss it,” she said.

There is not enough time at the summit to create a roadmap, a process the minister said could take several years because numerous countries confronted complicated issues around reliance on fossil fuels, or aimed to use the proceeds from selling fossil fuels to fund their economic growth.

“Brazil brings up the topic, because Brazil is simultaneously a producing nation and user,” the minister said. “But Brazil is unique, because Brazil, if it wants to, need not rely on non-renewables. We have to recognise that there are certain nations that rely on carbon energy in their economies and don’t have simple solutions, and some where oil and gas are the basis of their economy.

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

If the pledge gains sufficient backing, the summit could establish a platform in which the work of drawing up a strategy to the phaseout could start.

The process would involve dialogue with every participating countries to the UN climate treaty and guidelines for how the process would unfold, Silva said. “Once we have criteria, a governance structure can be drawn up; once we have a plan, and create protections to be able to build confidence in the system, I believe that with these components we can transform positive concepts into steps that are more defined, and more concrete.”

There is no guarantee that a suggestion to begin developing a roadmap would be accepted at COP30, even if it may not need the official approval of the summit, which proceeds by consensus and can be disrupted by particular groups. Climate analysts have suggested they think there could be backing for such a idea from about sixty nations, but there are believed to be at least 40 against. There are 195 countries participating at the talks.

“In spite of being the root cause of climate change, carbon-based energy are about the most divisive topic there is within the UN negotiations, so to see a sizable coalition of nations openly backing a route to realizing worldwide phaseout is in itself pretty groundbreaking.”

“In simple terms, there’s no path to a world where temperature rise stays below 1.5 degrees in which nations cannot to talk about ending fossil fuel use.”

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

Negotiations carried on on Saturday on four outstanding issues that have still not been included into the official agenda: trade, openness, funding and how to tackle the shortfall between the emissions cuts countries have proposed and those required to hold to the 1.5-degree warming target.

A summit president pledged a “document” that would address these issues, after consultations – which have been going on since the start of the week – were inconclusive. The official called on countries to embrace the “mutirão” attitude, meaning one of collaboration and positive discussion.

Work on other substantive issues – such as adjustment to the effects of the climate crisis, the fair shift for those impacted by the move to a green economic system and how to strengthen institutional capacity in developing countries – proceeded constructively, the host said.

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