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Brazil’s environment minister, Marina Silva, has urged all nations to demonstrate the courage needed to confront the necessity of a worldwide transition away from fossil fuels, labeling the development of a detailed plan as an “moral” response to the global warming emergency.

She emphasized, however, that participation in this endeavor would be voluntary and “independently decided” for interested governments.

The topic stands as one of the most debated subjects at the UN climate summit in Brazil, with countries split over if and how such a roadmap can be discussed. Hosting the event, Brazil has maintained a balanced position on what can be placed on the official schedule.

Silva voiced approval for the possibility of a roadmap, though not directly committing Brazil to it. The minister stated: “In times 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 climb.”

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

Dozens of nations meeting in the host city for the global climate conference, which is entering its next phase, are aiming to determine how a global transition of fossil fuels could work. These nations aim to build on a landmark resolution made two years ago at a previous UN summit to “transition away from fossil fuels.”

The commitment had no a schedule or specifics on how it could be realized, and even though it was adopted unanimously, some countries have later attempted to disavow the pledge. Efforts last year to elaborate on its real-world meaning were stymied by resistance from petrostates at another UN summit.

As a result, there was no mention of the shift away from carbon fuels in the final agreement of that conference.

For these reasons, Brazil has been cautious of calls by some nations to include the transition on the agenda for COP30. But Silva has worked hard in private to make sure the topic could be discussed at the conference apart from the official program.

The minister won over the nation's leader, who gave public reference three times to the need to “shift from reliance on fossil fuels” at the global leaders' meeting that preceded the conference, and at the start 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 address the problem from the source,” the minister said. “We acknowledge that it is not easy, and we must not offer unrealistic expectations. Raising the subject is courageous, and I wish [to see] this courage from all, from producers and consumers.”

Brazil had not initiated the call for a transition, the minister said, because that had been done at the earlier summit. Instead, it was allowing the discussions to take place in accordance with what some countries wished. “We know these topics are sensitive. We will provide the chance to talk about it,” the minister added.

There is not enough time at the summit to create a roadmap, a task the minister said could take a number of years because numerous nations confronted complicated challenges around reliance on fossil fuels, or wanted to use the revenue from exporting fossil fuels to fund their economic growth.

“Brazil raises the subject, because Brazil is both a producing nation and consumer,” she noted. “But the nation is unique, because it, if it chooses to, does not have to rely on fossil fuels. We have to understand that there are certain nations that depend on carbon energy in their economic systems and lack easy solutions, and others where oil and gas are the foundation of their economic structure.

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

Should the pledge gains sufficient support, the summit could establish a platform in which the work of drawing up a roadmap to the phaseout could begin.

The process would involve discussions with every signatory countries to the UN framework convention on climate change and guidelines for how the process would unfold, the minister explained. “Once we have criteria, a management framework can be developed; once we have a plan, and establish safeguards to be able to build trust in the process, I believe that with these components we can turn good ideas into actions that are clearer, and more concrete.”

It is uncertain that a proposal to begin drawing up a plan would win approval at the conference, even if it may not need the official consent of the summit, which proceeds by unanimous agreement and can be disrupted by special interests. Climate analysts have indicated they believe there could be support for such a idea from about 60 countries, but there are thought to be at least forty opposed. A total of one hundred ninety-five countries participating at the negotiations.

“Despite being the root cause of global warming, carbon-based energy are about the most contentious subject there is within the UN negotiations, so to see a chunky coalition of countries openly backing a route to realizing global transition is in itself pretty groundbreaking.”

“In simple terms, there’s no route to a planet where temperature rise stays below 1.5C in which countries cannot to talk about fossil fuel phaseout.”

“We need this wording for actual in this conversation. It’s highly illogical that we discuss all topics but that when the main issue are the real problem.”

Negotiations carried on on the weekend on several unresolved topics that have not yet been included into the formal agenda: commerce, transparency, finance and how to tackle the gap between the emissions cuts nations have planned and those needed to hold to the 1.5-degree warming target.

The COP30 president promised a “document” that would address these issues, after discussions – which have been underway since the start of the week – were unresolved. The official called on nations to embrace the “mutirão” spirit, meaning one of cooperation and positive discussion.

Progress on other key issues – including adaptation to the impacts of the climate crisis, the just transition for those affected by the move to a green economy and how to build institutional capacity in less developed nations – proceeded productively, the presidency reported.

Brazil’s lead representative said the technical phase of the COP process was approaching completion, and the political stage – when government leaders who have the power to alter their nations' positions arrive – was starting.