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The environment minister, Marina Silva, has called on all nations to demonstrate the courage needed to confront the necessity of a global transition away from fossil fuels, describing the development of a detailed plan as an “ethical” answer to the global warming emergency.

The minister stressed, though, that involvement in this endeavor would be optional and “self-determined” for willing nations.

The topic remains one of the most debated matters at the UN climate summit in the host country, with nations divided over if and how such a roadmap can be addressed. Hosting the event, the nation has maintained a carefully neutral position on what can be included on the official schedule.

The official expressed support for the potential of a roadmap, without directly committing the country to it. The minister stated: “When we have a terrain that is quite grim, it is good that we have a guide. But the guide does not force us to proceed, or to advance.”

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

Dozens of countries gathered in the host city for the global climate conference, which is entering its next phase, are seeking to determine how a global phaseout of oil, gas, and coal could work. These nations hope to build on a landmark agreement reached two years ago at COP28 to “move away from fossil fuels.”

That pledge had no a timetable or details on how it could be achieved, and although it was passed by all, some nations have later attempted to back away from the promise. Efforts last year to expand on its real-world implications were stymied by resistance from oil-dependent nations at COP29.

As a result, there was no reference of the shift away from carbon fuels in the outcome of COP29.

Because of this, Brazil has been cautious of demands by certain nations to include the phaseout on the schedule for COP30. But Silva has worked hard in private to ensure the topic could be discussed at the summit outside the formal agenda.

The minister won over Brazil’s leader, and he gave mention three times to the need to “shift from dependence on traditional energy” at the summit of world leaders that preceded COP30, and at the start of the event.

“The issue is something that we know at some point had to be put forward, because it is the only way to address the problem from the root,” the minister explained. “We acknowledge that it is challenging, and we cannot offer unrealistic expectations. Bringing up the topic is brave, and I hope [to see] this courage from everyone, from producing nations and using countries.”

Brazil had not started the call for a phaseout, she clarified, because that had been done at COP28. Rather, it was allowing the discussions to take place in accordance with what certain nations desired. “We understand these topics are sensitive. We will provide the chance to talk about it,” the minister added.

Time is insufficient at the summit to draw up a roadmap, a task Silva said could take several years because numerous nations confronted complicated issues around reliance on carbon-based energy, or aimed to use the proceeds from exporting fossil fuels to fund their economic growth.

“The country raises the topic, because Brazil is simultaneously a producing nation and user,” she said. “But the nation is unique, because it, if it wants to, need not depend on non-renewables. We have to recognise that there are some that depend on carbon energy in their economic systems and lack simple solutions, and others where oil and gas are the basis of their economy.

“To be just is to be just to everyone, but the essential, primordial justice is not being unfair to the Earth, because it is our shared home.”

Should the pledge receives enough support, the summit could set up a platform in which the process of drawing up a strategy to the transition could begin.

This process would involve discussions with every participating countries to the UN framework convention on climate change and guidelines for how the process would proceed, the minister said. “Once we have criteria, a governance structure can be developed; once we have a strategy, and create protections to be able to establish confidence in the system, I believe that with these components we can transform good ideas into steps that are more defined, and more concrete.”

There is no guarantee that a proposal to begin drawing up a plan would win approval at the conference, although it may not need the official approval of the conference, which operates by consensus and can be disrupted by particular groups. COP analysts have indicated they think there could be support for such a proposal from about sixty nations, but there are believed to be at least 40 against. There are one hundred ninety-five countries participating at the negotiations.

“In spite of being the primary source of climate change, carbon-based energy are about the most divisive subject there is within the UN negotiations, so to see a sizable coalition of countries publicly supporting a route to realizing worldwide phaseout is in itself pretty groundbreaking.”

“Put simply, there’s no path to a world where warming stays below 1.5 degrees in which countries aren’t able to talk about fossil fuel phaseout.”

“We need this wording for real in this conversation. It’s quite stupid that we discuss everything but then when fossil fuels are the real problem.”

Discussions carried on on Saturday on four unresolved issues that have not yet been included into the official schedule: trade, transparency, funding and how to address the gap between the emissions cuts countries have planned and those required to hold to the 1.5-degree temperature target.

The summit chair pledged a “document” that would cover these matters, after consultations – which have been underway since Monday – were inconclusive. The official urged countries to adopt the “mutirão” spirit, meaning one of collaboration and positive discussion.

Progress on other key issues – such as adjustment to the effects of the climate crisis, the fair shift for those impacted by the transition to a low-carbon economy and how to strengthen governance capabilities in developing countries – carried on productively, the host said.

The host nation's lead representative said the detailed phase of the COP process was nearing the end, and the high-level stage – when government leaders who have the authority to change their nations' positions join – was beginning.