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Brazil’s environment minister, Marina Silva, has urged every country to demonstrate the bravery needed to address the necessity of a worldwide transition away from fossil fuels, describing the development of a detailed plan as an “moral” response to the climate crisis.

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

This issue remains one of the most debated matters at the UN climate summit in the host country, with nations divided over whether and in what way such a strategy can be addressed. As the host, Brazil has maintained a balanced stance on what can be included on the formal schedule.

The official voiced support for the potential of a roadmap, without directly pledging Brazil to it. She stated: “When we have a terrain that is quite grim, it is good that we have a map. But the guide does not force us to travel, or to climb.”

Speaking further, the minister noted: “The roadmap is an response to our scientific understanding [of the climate emergency]. It is an ethical response.”

Dozens of countries gathered in the host city for the UN climate summit, which is starting its second week, are aiming to determine how a global transition of fossil fuels could work. They aim to build on a landmark resolution made two years ago at a previous UN summit to “transition away from fossil fuels.”

The commitment had no a timetable or specifics on the way it could be realized, and even though it was adopted by all, some countries have since tried to disavow the promise. Attempts last year to elaborate on its real-world meaning were blocked by opposition from petrostates at COP29.

As a result, there was no reference of the shift away from fossil fuels in the final agreement of COP29.

Because of this, Brazil has been cautious of calls by certain countries to place the phaseout on the agenda for COP30. But the minister has strived behind the scenes to ensure the topic could be discussed at the summit outside the official program.

She won over 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 came before COP30, and at the opening of the event.

“This is a matter that we understand at a certain time had to be put forward, because it is the only way to face the problem from the source,” the minister explained. “We recognise that it is challenging, and we cannot sell false hopes. Bringing up the subject is brave, and I hope [to see] this courage from everyone, from producing nations and consumers.”

Brazil had not initiated the call for a transition, the minister said, because that had been initiated at COP28. Rather, it was allowing the talks to take place in accordance with what some countries wished. “We understand these topics are delicate. We will provide the chance to talk about it,” the minister said.

Time is insufficient at COP30 to draw up a detailed plan, a process the minister called could take a number of years because many countries faced complicated challenges around dependence on carbon-based energy, or wanted to use the proceeds from selling fossil fuels to finance their economic growth.

“The country raises the subject, because it is both a producer and consumer,” she noted. “But Brazil is unique, because it, if it wants to, need not depend on fossil fuels. We have to understand that there are certain nations that depend on fossil fuels in their economies and don’t have simple solutions, and others where fossil fuels are the foundation of their economic structure.

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

Should the proposal gains enough support, the summit could set up a forum in which the process of drawing up a strategy to the transition could begin.

The process would require dialogue with every signatory countries to the UN climate treaty and guidelines for how the initiative would proceed, the minister said. “After we have criteria, a management framework can be drawn up; once we have a plan, and establish safeguards to be able to build trust in the system, I am confident that with these components we can turn positive concepts into steps that are clearer, and more tangible.”

It is uncertain that a suggestion to start developing a roadmap would be accepted at the conference, although it may not need the official approval of the summit, which proceeds by consensus and can be disrupted by special interests. Climate analysts have suggested they think there could be support for such a idea from about sixty nations, but there are believed to be at least 40 opposed. A total of 195 nations represented at the talks.

“In spite of being the primary source of global warming, fossil fuels are about the most contentious topic there is within the UN negotiations, so to see a chunky group of nations publicly backing a path to achieving worldwide transition is in itself highly significant.”

“Put simply, there’s no path to a planet where temperature rise remains below 1.5 degrees in which countries cannot to discuss fossil fuel phaseout.”

“We need this language for real in this conversation. It’s highly illogical that we talk about everything but that when fossil fuels are the real problem.”

Discussions continued on Saturday on four unresolved topics that have still not been included into the formal agenda: trade, openness, finance and how to tackle the shortfall between the emissions cuts countries have planned and those required to hold to the 1.5-degree temperature limit.

A summit president pledged a “note” that would cover these issues, after consultations – which have been underway since Monday – were inconclusive. He called on nations to embrace the “mutirão” attitude, meaning one of cooperation and constructive dialogue.

Work on other key topics – including adaptation to the impacts of the climate emergency, the fair shift for those affected by the transition to a low-carbon economic system and how to build institutional capacity in less developed nations – proceeded productively, the presidency reported.

Brazil’s chief negotiator said the detailed part of the summit process was nearing the end, and the high-level stage – when government leaders who have the power to change their nations' positions join – was starting.