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

She emphasized, though, that involvement in this endeavor would be optional and “independently decided” for willing governments.

This issue stands as one of the most debated subjects at the COP30 in Brazil, with countries split over if and how such a roadmap can be discussed. Hosting the event, Brazil has maintained a balanced stance on which items can be included on the official schedule.

The official voiced support for the possibility of a roadmap, without explicitly pledging the country to it. She remarked: “When we have a terrain that is quite grim, it is helpful that we have a map. But the guide does not force us to travel, or to climb.”

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

Dozens of nations gathered in Belém for the global climate conference, which is entering its second week, are seeking to determine how a global phaseout of oil, gas, and coal could be implemented. They hope to build on a landmark agreement reached two years ago at COP28 to “transition away from fossil fuels.”

The pledge had no a schedule or specifics on the way it could be achieved, and even though it was adopted unanimously, several nations have since tried to disavow the promise. Attempts last year to expand on its practical meaning were blocked by opposition from petrostates at COP29.

Consequently, there was no mention of the transition away from fossil fuels in the outcome of that conference.

For these reasons, the host has been wary of calls by some nations to include the phaseout on the agenda for COP30. But Silva has worked hard behind the scenes to ensure the topic could be discussed at the summit outside the official program.

The minister convinced the nation's leader, who gave mention three times to the need to “move away from dependence on fossil fuels” at the summit of world leaders that came before COP30, and at the start of the event.

“The issue is something that we know at a certain time had to be raised, because it is the only way to face the issue from the root,” Marina Silva explained. “We recognise that it is not easy, and we must not sell false hopes. Bringing up the subject is courageous, and I hope [to see] this bravery from everyone, from producers and using countries.”

The nation had not initiated the push for a phaseout, the minister said, because that had been initiated at COP28. Rather, it was enabling the talks to take place in accordance with what some countries desired. “We understand these topics are sensitive. We will give the chance to discuss it,” she added.

There is not enough time at the summit to draw up a detailed plan, a task the minister called could take a number of years because many countries faced complicated challenges around dependence on fossil fuels, or wanted to use the proceeds from exporting oil and gas to finance their development.

“Brazil brings up the subject, because it is both a producing nation and consumer,” the minister said. “But the nation is unique, because Brazil, if it wants to, does not have to rely on non-renewables. We have to understand that there are some that rely on carbon energy in their economic systems and lack simple alternatives, and others where oil and gas are the basis of their economic structure.

“To be fair is to be fair to everyone, but the fundamental, basic justice is to avoid being unjust to the planet, because it is our home.”

If the proposal gains sufficient backing, the summit could set up a forum in which the process of creating a roadmap to the transition could begin.

This endeavor would require dialogue with all participating nations to the UN framework convention on climate change and guidelines for how the process would proceed, Silva said. “Once we have standards, a management framework can be developed; after we have a plan, and establish safeguards to be able to build confidence in the process, I believe that with these components we can turn positive concepts into actions that are more defined, and more concrete.”

It is uncertain that a suggestion to begin developing a plan would win approval at the conference, although it may not need the formal consent of the conference, which proceeds by consensus and can be disrupted by particular groups. Climate analysts have indicated they think there could be support for such a idea from about sixty nations, but there are thought to be at least forty opposed. There are 195 countries represented at the talks.

“Despite being the root cause of climate change, fossil fuels are about the most contentious topic there is within the international climate talks, so to see a sizable group of countries openly backing a path to achieving worldwide transition is in itself highly significant.”

“Put simply, there’s no route to a world where warming remains below 1.5 degrees in which countries aren’t able to discuss ending fossil fuel use.”

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

Negotiations continued on Saturday on several outstanding issues that have not yet been included into the official agenda: commerce, openness, finance and how to address the shortfall between the carbon reduction countries have planned and those required to hold to the 1.5C warming target.

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

Progress on other substantive topics – including adaptation to the effects of the climate crisis, the just transition for those impacted by the move to a low-carbon economy and how to strengthen governance capabilities in developing countries – carried on constructively, the presidency said.

Brazil’s chief negotiator said the technical part of the summit process was approaching completion, and the political phase – when ministers who have the authority to change their countries’ stances arrive – was beginning.