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The climate chief, Marina Silva, has called on every country to demonstrate the bravery needed to confront the imperative of a global fossil fuel phaseout, labeling the creation of a roadmap as an “ethical” response to the climate crisis.

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

The topic stands as one of the most debated matters at the COP30 in the host country, with nations divided over whether and how such a roadmap can be addressed. Hosting the event, Brazil has maintained a balanced stance on what can be placed on the formal agenda.

Silva expressed support for the possibility of a roadmap, without explicitly committing the country to it. She stated: “In times we have a situation that is very challenging, it is good that we have a guide. But the guide does not compel us to travel, or to climb.”

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

Scores of nations gathered in Belém for the UN climate summit, which is starting its second week, are aiming to establish how a worldwide phaseout of fossil fuels could be implemented. They aim to advance a historic resolution reached two years ago at a previous UN summit to “move away from fossil fuels.”

The commitment lacked a timetable or specifics on the way it could be realized, and even though it was adopted unanimously, several nations have later attempted to disavow the promise. Attempts last year to expand on its practical meaning were stymied by opposition from petrostates at COP29.

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

For these reasons, the host has been cautious of calls by some nations to include the phaseout on the schedule for the current summit. But Silva has worked hard in private to make sure the topic could be talked about at the summit outside the formal program.

The minister convinced the nation's president, who made public reference three times to the need to “move away from reliance on fossil fuels” at the global leaders' meeting that preceded COP30, and at the opening of the summit.

“The issue is a matter that we understand at a certain time had to be raised, because it is the only way to face the issue from the root,” Marina Silva said. “We recognise that it is not easy, and we cannot offer unrealistic expectations. Bringing up the subject is courageous, and I hope [to see] this bravery from all, from producers and using countries.”

Brazil had not initiated the call for a phaseout, the minister said, because that had been done at the earlier summit. Rather, it was allowing the talks to take place in accordance with what some countries desired. “We understand these subjects are sensitive. We will provide the chance to discuss it,” she said.

Time is insufficient at the summit to draw up a roadmap, a process the minister said could take a number of years because many countries faced complicated challenges around dependence on carbon-based energy, or wanted to use the revenue from selling fossil fuels to fund their development.

“The country raises the topic, because it is simultaneously a producer and consumer,” she noted. “But the nation is different, because it, if it chooses to, does not have to depend on non-renewables. We have to recognise that there are certain nations that rely on carbon energy in their economic systems and don’t have simple solutions, and others where fossil fuels are the basis of their economy.

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

If the pledge gains enough backing, the summit could establish a forum in which the work of drawing up a roadmap to the phaseout could start.

This endeavor would involve dialogue with every participating countries to the UN climate treaty and guidelines for how the initiative would unfold, Silva explained. “Once we have criteria, a governance structure can be developed; once we have a plan, and create safeguards to be able to build confidence in the system, I believe that with these components we can transform positive concepts into steps that are more defined, and more concrete.”

There is no guarantee that a proposal to begin drawing up a roadmap would win approval at COP30, even if it does not require the official approval of the summit, which proceeds by consensus and can be hijacked by special interests. Climate experts have suggested they think there could be support for such a idea from about sixty countries, but there are believed to be at least forty against. A total of 195 countries participating at the talks.

“Despite being the root cause of climate change, carbon-based energy are about the most contentious subject there is within the international climate talks, so to see a sizable group of countries openly backing a path to realizing worldwide transition is in itself pretty groundbreaking.”

“In simple terms, there’s no path to a world where temperature rise remains below 1.5 degrees in which nations aren’t able to discuss ending fossil fuel use.”

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

Negotiations continued on the weekend on four unresolved topics that have still not been incorporated into the formal agenda: commerce, openness, finance and how to address the shortfall between the carbon reduction nations have planned and those needed to hold to the 1.5-degree temperature target.

The COP30 president pledged a “note” that would address these matters, after discussions – which have been underway since the start of the week – were inconclusive. The official called on nations to embrace the “mutirão” attitude, referring to one of collaboration and constructive dialogue.

Work on additional key topics – such as adaptation to the impacts of the climate emergency, the just transition for those impacted by the move to a low-carbon economic system and how to strengthen institutional capacity in less developed nations – carried on constructively, the host said.

Brazil’s chief negotiator said the technical part of the COP proceedings was approaching completion, and the high-level phase – when ministers who have the power to alter their countries’ stances arrive – was beginning.