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The environment minister, the minister, has called on every country to show the bravery needed to confront the necessity of a global transition away from fossil fuels, labeling the development of a detailed plan as an “moral” answer to the climate crisis.

The minister stressed, however, 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 split over whether and in what way such a roadmap can be addressed. Hosting the event, Brazil has maintained a carefully neutral stance on which items can be included on the official agenda.

Silva voiced approval for the potential of a roadmap, without directly pledging Brazil to it. The minister remarked: “When we have a situation that is quite grim, it is good that we have a map. But the guide does not force us to proceed, or to climb.”

In an interview, the minister noted: “The map is an answer to our scientific knowledge [of the climate crisis]. It is an moral response.”

Scores of countries gathered in Belém for the global climate conference, which is starting its second week, are aiming to establish how a global transition of fossil fuels could be implemented. They aim to build on a historic resolution made two years ago at a previous UN summit to “transition away from non-renewable energy sources.”

That pledge had no a timetable or specifics on the way it could be achieved, and although it was adopted by all, some countries have later attempted to disavow the promise. Efforts last year to elaborate on its practical implications were blocked by opposition from petrostates at another UN summit.

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

For these reasons, Brazil has been wary of calls by some nations to place the transition on the agenda for the current summit. But Silva has strived behind the scenes to make sure the pledge could be talked about at the conference apart from the official agenda.

She convinced Brazil’s president, who made mention repeatedly to the need to “move away from dependence on fossil fuels” at the summit of world leaders that preceded the conference, and at the start of the summit.

“The issue is a matter that we understand at a certain time had to be put forward, because it is the only way to address the issue from the source,” Marina Silva said. “We acknowledge that it is not easy, and we cannot sell false hopes. Bringing up the topic is courageous, and I wish [to see] this bravery from everyone, from producing nations and consumers.”

The nation had not started the call for a phaseout, she said, because that had been initiated at COP28. Instead, it was enabling the talks to occur in accordance with what certain nations wished. “We know these topics are delicate. We will provide the opportunity to talk about it,” the minister said.

Time is insufficient at the summit to create a detailed plan, a task Silva called could take a number of years because numerous nations confronted complicated challenges around dependence on fossil fuels, or wanted to use the proceeds from selling oil and gas to fund their development.

“The country brings up the subject, because Brazil is both a producer and user,” she said. “But Brazil is different, because Brazil, if it chooses to, need not rely on fossil fuels. We have to understand that there are certain nations that rely on carbon energy in their economic systems and don’t have easy 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 not being unjust to the planet, because it is our home.”

If the pledge gains enough backing, the summit could set up a platform in which the work of drawing up a strategy to the transition could start.

The process would require dialogue with every participating nations to the UN framework convention on climate change and guidelines for how the initiative would proceed, Silva said. “Once we have criteria, a governance structure can be drawn up; once we have a strategy, and create safeguards to be able to establish confidence in the process, I am confident that with these components we can transform positive concepts into actions that are more defined, and more tangible.”

It is uncertain that a proposal to begin drawing up a roadmap would be accepted at COP30, even if it does not require the official consent of the summit, which operates by unanimous agreement and can be disrupted by special interests. Climate experts have suggested they think there could be support for such a idea from about 60 countries, but there are thought to be at least 40 opposed. There are 195 countries represented at the talks.

“Despite being the primary source of climate change, fossil fuels are about the most divisive subject there is within the UN negotiations, so to see a sizable group of countries publicly supporting a route to achieving global transition is in itself pretty groundbreaking.”

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

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

Discussions continued on Saturday on four outstanding topics that have not yet been included into the official agenda: trade, transparency, funding and how to address the shortfall between the carbon reduction nations have proposed and those needed to hold to the 1.5C warming limit.

The summit chair pledged a “note” that would address these issues, after discussions – which have been underway since Monday – were unresolved. The official called on nations to adopt the “mutirão” spirit, referring to one of cooperation and positive discussion.

Work on additional key issues – including adjustment to the impacts of the climate crisis, the fair shift for those impacted by the move to a green economy and how to strengthen institutional capacity in less developed nations – carried on productively, the presidency said.

The host nation's chief negotiator said the detailed phase of the summit proceedings was nearing the end, and the political stage – when government leaders who have the power to alter their countries’ stances join – was starting.