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Brazil’s climate chief, Marina Silva, has urged every country to demonstrate the courage needed to confront the necessity of a worldwide transition away from fossil fuels, describing the creation of a roadmap as an “moral” response to the global warming emergency.

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

The topic remains one of the most debated matters at the COP30 in the host country, with countries split over if and in what way such a roadmap can be addressed. Hosting the event, the nation has adopted a balanced stance on which items can be included on the official schedule.

Silva expressed support for the possibility of a plan, without directly committing the country to it. The minister stated: “In times we have a situation that is very challenging, it is good that we have a map. But the guide does not force us to travel, or to advance.”

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

Dozens of nations meeting in the host city for the UN climate summit, which is entering its next phase, are seeking to determine how a global transition of oil, gas, and coal could be implemented. They aim to build on a landmark agreement made two years ago at a previous UN summit to “transition away from fossil fuels.”

The commitment lacked a schedule or specifics on the way it could be realized, and even though it was adopted unanimously, some countries have later attempted to back away from the pledge. Attempts last year to expand on its practical meaning were blocked by resistance from petrostates at another UN summit.

As a result, there was no reference of the transition away from fossil fuels in the final agreement of COP29.

Because of this, Brazil has been cautious of demands by some nations to include the phaseout on the schedule for the current summit. But Silva has strived behind the scenes to make sure the topic could be talked about at the summit outside the formal agenda.

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

“The issue is a matter that we know at a certain time had to be raised, because it is the only way to face the problem from the source,” Marina Silva explained. “We acknowledge that it is not easy, and we must not sell unrealistic expectations. Raising the subject is courageous, and I wish [to see] this bravery from everyone, from producers and consumers.”

The nation had not started the push for a transition, the minister clarified, because that had been done at COP28. Rather, it was enabling the talks to occur in accordance with what certain nations wished. “We understand these subjects are delicate. We will give the chance to talk about it,” she said.

There is not enough time at the summit to draw up a roadmap, a task Silva said could take several years because many nations faced complicated challenges around dependence on fossil fuels, or aimed to use the revenue from exporting fossil fuels to finance their economic growth.

“The country brings up the topic, because it is simultaneously a producer and consumer,” the minister said. “But the nation is unique, because it, if it wants to, need not depend on non-renewables. We have to understand that there are some that depend on carbon energy in their economies and lack easy alternatives, and some where fossil fuels are the foundation of their economic structure.

“To be fair is to be fair to everyone, but the essential, basic fairness is to avoid being unfair to the Earth, because it is our home.”

Should the pledge receives sufficient backing, the summit could set up a platform in which the process of creating a roadmap to the transition could begin.

This endeavor would require discussions with every signatory countries to the UN climate treaty and guidelines for how the process would unfold, Silva said. “Once we have standards, a management framework can be developed; once we have a plan, and establish safeguards to be able to establish confidence in the system, I am confident that with these components we can turn positive concepts into steps that are clearer, and more concrete.”

It is uncertain that a suggestion to start developing a roadmap would win approval at the conference, even if it does not require the official approval of the conference, which operates by unanimous agreement and can be disrupted by particular groups. COP analysts have indicated they believe there could be support for such a proposal from about 60 nations, but there are thought to be at least forty against. A total of one hundred ninety-five nations participating at the talks.

“Despite 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 chunky group of countries openly backing a route to achieving global transition is in itself pretty groundbreaking.”

“In simple terms, there’s no route to a world where temperature rise remains below 1.5C in which countries aren’t able to talk about fossil fuel phaseout.”

“We require this language for real in this discussion. It’s highly illogical that we discuss everything but that when the main issue are the real problem.”

Negotiations carried on on the weekend on several outstanding topics that have not yet been included into the official agenda: commerce, transparency, finance and how to address the shortfall between the emissions cuts countries have proposed and those needed to hold to the 1.5-degree warming target.

A COP30 chair pledged a “note” that would address these issues, after consultations – which have been underway since Monday – were inconclusive. He urged countries to adopt the “mutirão” attitude, meaning one of cooperation and constructive dialogue.

Progress on additional substantive topics – such as adjustment to the impacts of the climate emergency, the fair shift for those affected by the transition to a low-carbon economic system and how to strengthen institutional capacity in less developed nations – proceeded productively, the presidency said.

The host nation's chief negotiator said the technical part of the COP process was nearing the end, and the high-level stage – when government leaders who have the power to alter their nations' stances arrive – was beginning.