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

She stressed, however, that participation in this endeavor would be voluntary and “self-determined” for willing nations.

This issue stands as one of the most contentious subjects at the COP30 in the host country, with countries divided over if and how such a roadmap can be addressed. Hosting the event, Brazil has maintained a balanced stance on what can be placed on the official agenda.

The official voiced support for the possibility of a plan, without directly pledging the country to it. She remarked: “In times we have a terrain that is very challenging, it is helpful that we have a map. But the guide does not force us to travel, or to advance.”

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

Scores of nations gathered in the host city for the global climate conference, which is entering its second week, are aiming to determine how a global transition of oil, gas, and coal could work. They aim to build on a historic resolution reached two years ago at COP28 to “move away from non-renewable energy sources.”

The pledge had no a schedule or specifics on the way it could be realized, and even though it was passed by all, several countries have since attempted to disavow the pledge. Efforts last year to expand on its practical implications were blocked by resistance from oil-dependent nations at another UN summit.

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

Because of this, the host has been wary of demands by some countries to include the phaseout on the agenda for COP30. But the minister has worked hard in private to ensure the pledge could be talked about at the summit apart from the official agenda.

The minister convinced the nation's president, and he gave public reference three times to the need to “move away from dependence on traditional energy” at the global leaders' meeting that preceded COP30, and at the opening of the event.

“This is a matter that we know at some point had to be raised, because it is the sole way to address the issue from the source,” Marina Silva explained. “We recognise that it is challenging, and we must not sell unrealistic expectations. Bringing up the subject is brave, and I hope [to see] this bravery from everyone, from producing nations and using countries.”

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

Time is insufficient at COP30 to create a roadmap, a task the minister called could take several years because many countries faced complicated challenges around reliance on carbon-based energy, or aimed to use the revenue from selling fossil fuels to fund their economic growth.

“The country raises the topic, because it is both a producer and user,” she said. “But Brazil is unique, because Brazil, if it wants to, does not have to rely on non-renewables. We have to recognise that there are some that rely on carbon energy in their economies and lack simple solutions, and others where fossil fuels are the basis of their economic structure.

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

If the pledge receives sufficient backing, the summit could establish a platform in which the process of creating a strategy to the phaseout could start.

This endeavor would require discussions with every participating nations to the UN climate treaty and guidelines for how the initiative would proceed, Silva explained. “After we have standards, a governance structure can be drawn up; once we have a plan, and establish protections to be able to establish trust in the process, I am confident that with these components we can transform positive concepts into actions that are clearer, and more concrete.”

There is no guarantee that a proposal to start developing a roadmap would win approval at the conference, although it may not need the official consent of the summit, which proceeds by consensus and can be hijacked by particular groups. Climate analysts have indicated they think there could be backing for such a idea from about 60 nations, but there are believed to be at least forty opposed. A total of 195 countries participating at the negotiations.

“Despite being the primary source of global warming, carbon-based energy are about the most divisive topic there is within the international climate talks, so to see a sizable group of countries publicly supporting a route to realizing global phaseout is in itself highly significant.”

“Put simply, there’s no path to a world where warming stays below 1.5 degrees in which countries cannot to discuss fossil fuel phaseout.”

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

Negotiations continued on the weekend on several unresolved issues that have not yet been included into the formal agenda: commerce, transparency, funding and how to address the shortfall between the emissions cuts nations have planned and those required to keep to the 1.5C warming limit.

A COP30 president pledged a “note” that would cover these matters, after discussions – which have been underway since the start of the week – were unresolved. The official called on nations to adopt the “mutirão” spirit, referring to one of cooperation and positive discussion.

Progress on additional substantive issues – such as adaptation to the impacts of the climate emergency, the just transition for those affected by the transition to a low-carbon economic system and how to strengthen governance capabilities in less developed nations – carried on productively, the presidency reported.

The host nation's lead representative said the technical part of the COP proceedings was nearing completion, and the high-level phase – when ministers who have the power to change their nations' stances arrive – was starting.