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The environment minister, Marina Silva, has called on every country to show the courage needed to confront the necessity of a global fossil fuel phaseout, describing the development of a detailed plan as an “ethical” answer to the global warming emergency.

The minister emphasized, though, that participation in this process would be optional and “independently decided” for willing nations.

This issue remains one of the most debated matters at the COP30 in the host country, with countries split over whether and in what way such a roadmap can be discussed. As the host, Brazil has maintained a carefully neutral position on which items can be placed on the formal schedule.

The official voiced approval for the potential of a plan, 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 map. But the map does not compel us to travel, or to advance.”

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

Scores of countries meeting in Belém for the global climate conference, which is entering its second week, are aiming to establish how a global phaseout of oil, gas, and coal could be implemented. They aim to advance a landmark agreement reached two years ago at COP28 to “move away from fossil fuels.”

The commitment had no a schedule or details on how it could be achieved, and although it was adopted by all, some nations have since attempted to disavow the promise. Attempts last year to expand on its real-world meaning were blocked by resistance from oil-dependent nations at another UN summit.

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

For these reasons, Brazil has been wary of calls by some nations to include the transition on the schedule for COP30. But the minister has strived behind the scenes to ensure the pledge could be talked about at the summit outside the formal agenda.

She won over the nation's president, and he gave public reference repeatedly to the need to “move away from reliance on traditional energy” at the summit of world leaders that preceded COP30, and at the opening of the event.

“This is a matter that we know at a certain time had to be raised, because it is the sole way to address the issue from the root,” Marina Silva explained. “We recognise that it is challenging, and we must not offer false hopes. Raising the subject is courageous, and I wish [to see] this courage from all, from producing nations and using countries.”

The nation had not initiated the push for a phaseout, she said, because that had been initiated at COP28. Instead, it was allowing the talks to occur in line with what some countries desired. “We know these topics are sensitive. We will provide the opportunity to discuss it,” she said.

Time is insufficient at COP30 to create a roadmap, a process Silva called could take several years because numerous countries faced complicated challenges around dependence on fossil fuels, or wanted to use the revenue from exporting fossil fuels to finance their development.

“The country brings up the subject, because Brazil is both a producer and user,” she said. “But the nation is different, because it, if it wants to, does not have to depend on fossil fuels. We have to understand that there are some that rely on fossil fuels in their economic systems and don’t have easy alternatives, and some where oil and gas are the basis of their economic structure.

“To be fair is to be just to everyone, but the fundamental, basic fairness is not being unjust to the planet, because it is our shared home.”

If the pledge gains enough support, the summit could set up a platform in which the work of creating a strategy to the phaseout could begin.

The endeavor would involve discussions with all participating nations to the UN climate treaty and guidelines for how the process would unfold, the minister explained. “Once we have standards, a management framework can be drawn up; once we have a strategy, and create safeguards to be able to establish confidence in the system, I am confident that with these elements we can transform positive concepts into actions that are more defined, and more tangible.”

There is no guarantee that a proposal to start drawing up a roadmap would be accepted at COP30, although it does not require the official approval of the conference, which proceeds by consensus and can be disrupted by special interests. Climate analysts have suggested they believe there could be backing for such a proposal from about sixty countries, but there are thought to be at least 40 opposed. A total of one hundred ninety-five nations represented at the talks.

“Despite being the primary source of climate change, fossil fuels are about the most contentious subject there is within the international climate talks, so to see a chunky group of nations publicly backing a path to realizing global transition is in itself highly significant.”

“In simple terms, there’s no path to a planet where temperature rise remains below 1.5C in which nations cannot to discuss fossil fuel phaseout.”

“We need this wording for real in this discussion. It’s quite stupid that we discuss everything but then when the main issue are the actual problem.”

Negotiations continued on the weekend on four outstanding issues that have still not been incorporated into the formal schedule: commerce, transparency, finance and how to address the shortfall between the emissions cuts countries have proposed and those needed to keep to the 1.5-degree warming target.

A summit chair promised a “document” that would cover these issues, after consultations – which have been underway since the start of the week – were inconclusive. The official urged nations to embrace the “mutirão” attitude, referring to one of collaboration and constructive dialogue.

Progress on additional substantive topics – including adjustment to the impacts of the climate crisis, the fair shift for those impacted by the transition to a low-carbon economic system and how to build governance capabilities in developing countries – carried on constructively, the host said.

The host nation's chief negotiator stated the technical phase of the COP proceedings was approaching completion, and the high-level phase – when government leaders who have the authority to change their nations' positions arrive – was starting.