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The environment minister, Marina Silva, has urged every country to demonstrate the bravery needed to address the necessity of a global fossil fuel phaseout, describing the creation of a detailed plan as an “moral” answer to the climate crisis.

The minister emphasized, however, that participation in this endeavor would be voluntary and “independently decided” for interested governments.

The topic stands as one of the most debated subjects at the COP30 in the host country, with countries divided over whether and in what way such a roadmap can be discussed. Hosting the event, Brazil has adopted a carefully neutral position on which items can be included on the formal agenda.

Silva expressed approval for the possibility of a plan, though not explicitly pledging the country to it. She remarked: “When we have a terrain that is quite grim, it is good that we have a map. But the guide does not compel us to travel, or to advance.”

Speaking further, she noted: “The map is an answer to our scientific understanding [of the climate emergency]. It is an moral response.”

Dozens of nations meeting in the host city for the global climate conference, which is starting its second week, are seeking to establish how a global transition of oil, gas, and coal could be implemented. They aim to advance a historic agreement reached two years ago at a previous UN summit to “move away from fossil fuels.”

That pledge lacked a schedule or details on how it could be realized, and although it was adopted by all, several nations have since tried to disavow the promise. Attempts last year to elaborate on its practical implications were blocked by resistance from petrostates at another UN summit.

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

Because of this, the host has been wary of demands by certain countries to place the transition on the schedule for COP30. But Silva has strived behind the scenes to make sure the topic could be discussed at the conference apart from the formal agenda.

She won over the nation's president, and he gave mention three times to the need to “shift from dependence 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 know at some point had to be raised, because it is the sole way to address the problem from the source,” Marina Silva said. “We acknowledge that it is not easy, and we must not sell unrealistic expectations. Bringing up the subject is courageous, and I wish [to see] this courage from everyone, from producers and consumers.”

The nation had not initiated the call for a phaseout, she said, because that had been done at the earlier summit. Rather, it was allowing the talks to take place in line with what certain nations wished. “We know these subjects are delicate. We will give the opportunity to talk about it,” she said.

Time is insufficient at the summit to draw up a roadmap, a process Silva called could take several years because numerous nations confronted complicated issues around reliance on carbon-based energy, or wanted to use the revenue from selling fossil fuels to fund their development.

“Brazil brings up the subject, because it is both a producing nation and consumer,” the minister said. “But the nation is different, because Brazil, if it chooses to, need not depend on non-renewables. We have to understand that there are certain nations that rely on carbon energy in their economies and don’t have easy solutions, and others where oil and gas are the foundation of their economic structure.

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

If the proposal receives enough backing, the summit could set up a platform in which the process of creating a strategy to the transition could start.

This process would involve dialogue with all signatory countries to the UN climate treaty and criteria for how the initiative would proceed, Silva explained. “Once we have standards, a management framework can be drawn up; once we have a strategy, and establish protections to be able to build trust in the process, I believe that with these components we can turn good ideas into actions that are clearer, and more tangible.”

It is uncertain that a proposal to begin developing a plan would be accepted at COP30, although it may not need the formal approval of the conference, which operates by unanimous agreement and can be hijacked by particular groups. Climate experts have suggested they think there could be backing for such a proposal from about 60 countries, but there are believed to be at least forty opposed. A total of 195 nations participating at the talks.

“Despite being the root cause of global warming, fossil fuels are about the most contentious topic there is within the UN negotiations, so to see a sizable coalition of nations openly backing a path to achieving global transition is in itself pretty groundbreaking.”

“In simple terms, there’s no path to a planet where warming stays below 1.5 degrees in which nations aren’t able to talk about ending fossil fuel use.”

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

Discussions continued on Saturday on several unresolved topics that have not yet been incorporated into the formal agenda: commerce, openness, finance and how to tackle the shortfall between the emissions cuts nations have proposed and those needed to keep to the 1.5-degree warming target.

The summit chair promised a “document” that would address these issues, after consultations – which have been underway since Monday – were unresolved. He urged countries to embrace the “mutirão” spirit, referring to one of cooperation and constructive dialogue.

Work on additional substantive issues – including adaptation to the effects of the climate crisis, the fair shift for those affected by the transition to a green economy and how to strengthen governance capabilities in less developed nations – carried on constructively, the host said.

The host nation's lead representative stated the detailed phase of the COP proceedings was approaching the end, and the political phase – when ministers who have the authority to alter their nations' positions join – was starting.