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Brazil’s climate chief, Marina Silva, has called on every country to demonstrate the courage needed to address the imperative of a worldwide transition away from fossil fuels, labeling the creation of a detailed plan as an “moral” answer to the climate crisis.

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

The topic stands as one of the most debated subjects at the COP30 in the host country, with countries divided over whether and how such a strategy can be discussed. As the host, Brazil has maintained a balanced stance on what can be included on the formal agenda.

The official voiced support for the potential of a plan, though not directly pledging Brazil to it. She remarked: “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 travel, or to climb.”

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

Dozens of nations meeting in Belém for the global climate conference, which is starting its second week, are seeking to determine how a worldwide transition of fossil fuels could work. They hope to build on a landmark resolution reached two years ago at a previous UN summit to “move away from non-renewable energy sources.”

That pledge lacked a timetable or details on the way it could be realized, and even though it was passed by all, several countries have since tried to disavow the pledge. Attempts last year to expand on its practical implications were stymied by opposition from oil-dependent nations at COP29.

Consequently, there was no reference of the shift away from carbon fuels in the final agreement of that conference.

For these reasons, the host has been cautious of demands by certain nations to include the phaseout on the schedule for the current summit. But Silva has strived in private to ensure the pledge could be discussed at the conference outside the official agenda.

She won over Brazil’s leader, and he gave mention three times to the need to “move away from reliance on traditional energy” at the global leaders' meeting that preceded the conference, and at the opening of the event.

“The issue is a matter that we understand at some point had to be put forward, because it is the only way to address the issue from the source,” Marina Silva said. “We recognise that it is challenging, and we must not offer unrealistic expectations. Raising the subject is brave, and I hope [to see] this courage from all, from producing nations and using countries.”

Brazil had not initiated the call for a transition, she said, because that had been done at COP28. Rather, it was enabling the discussions to occur in line with what certain nations desired. “We know these subjects are sensitive. We will provide the chance to discuss it,” she added.

There is not enough time at COP30 to create a detailed plan, a process Silva said could take a number of years because many nations faced complicated challenges around dependence on carbon-based energy, or aimed to use the revenue from selling fossil fuels to fund their economic growth.

“The country brings up the subject, because Brazil is both a producing nation and user,” the minister said. “But the nation is different, because it, if it chooses to, need not rely on fossil fuels. We have to recognise that there are some that depend on carbon energy in their economic systems and lack easy alternatives, and others where oil and gas are the basis of their economic structure.

“To be just is to be just to everyone, but the essential, primordial fairness is to avoid being unjust to the planet, because it is our home.”

If the proposal gains enough support, the summit could establish a forum in which the work of drawing up a strategy to the transition could begin.

This process would require dialogue with every signatory nations to the UN framework convention on climate change and guidelines for how the process would unfold, the minister said. “After we have standards, a management framework can be drawn up; once we have a plan, and create 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 more defined, and more concrete.”

There is no guarantee that a suggestion to start drawing up a plan would be accepted at COP30, although it may not need the formal consent of the summit, which proceeds by unanimous agreement and can be hijacked by special interests. COP experts have suggested they believe there could be backing for such a proposal from about sixty nations, but there are thought to be at least 40 against. A total of 195 nations participating at the negotiations.

“In spite of being the root cause of global warming, carbon-based energy are about the most contentious topic there is within the UN negotiations, so to see a chunky coalition of countries publicly supporting a path to achieving worldwide phaseout is in itself highly significant.”

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

“We need this language for real in this conversation. It’s quite stupid that we talk about everything but that when fossil fuels are the real challenge.”

Negotiations carried on on the weekend on four outstanding topics that have not yet been included into the official agenda: commerce, openness, funding and how to tackle the gap between the emissions cuts nations have proposed and those needed to hold to the 1.5C temperature target.

The summit chair promised a “note” that would address these issues, after consultations – which have been going on since the start of the week – were unresolved. He called on countries to adopt the “mutirão” spirit, meaning one of cooperation and positive discussion.

Progress on other substantive issues – including adaptation to the effects of the climate emergency, the just transition for those affected by the move to a low-carbon economy and how to build governance capabilities in less developed nations – proceeded constructively, the presidency reported.

The host nation's chief negotiator stated the detailed phase of the COP process was nearing the end, and the political stage – when ministers who have the authority to alter their nations' positions join – was beginning.