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Brazil’s climate chief, the minister, has called on all nations to show the bravery needed to address the imperative of a global fossil fuel phaseout, describing the creation of a detailed plan as an “moral” response to the climate crisis.

The minister emphasized, though, that involvement in this process would be optional and “independently decided” for interested governments.

This issue stands as one of the most contentious matters at the UN climate summit in Brazil, with countries split over if and how such a strategy can be discussed. Hosting the event, Brazil has maintained a carefully neutral stance on which items can be included on the formal agenda.

Silva expressed approval for the potential of a plan, though not directly pledging the country to it. She stated: “When we have a situation that is quite grim, it is helpful that we have a guide. But the guide does not force us to proceed, or to advance.”

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

Dozens of nations gathered in the host city for the global climate conference, which is entering its second week, are aiming to establish how a worldwide phaseout of oil, gas, and coal could work. These nations hope to advance a landmark resolution made two years ago at COP28 to “move away from fossil fuels.”

The commitment had no a schedule or details on how it could be realized, and although it was adopted by all, several nations have later attempted to disavow the pledge. Efforts last year to expand on its practical meaning were blocked by resistance from petrostates at another UN summit.

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

For these reasons, the host has been cautious of calls by certain nations to include the transition on the agenda for the current summit. But the minister has strived behind the scenes to ensure the topic could be talked about at the summit outside the official agenda.

She won over the nation's leader, who made public reference three times to the need to “shift from reliance on fossil fuels” at the global leaders' meeting that came before COP30, and at the opening of the summit.

“This is a matter that we understand at a certain time had to be put forward, because it is the sole way to address the problem from the root,” the minister explained. “We recognise that it is not easy, and we must not sell false hopes. Raising the topic is courageous, and I hope [to see] this courage from all, from producing nations and consumers.”

Brazil had not initiated the call for a phaseout, the minister clarified, because that had been initiated at the earlier summit. Instead, it was allowing the talks to occur in line with what certain nations wished. “We understand these subjects are delicate. We will give the opportunity to discuss it,” the minister added.

There is not enough time at the summit to create a detailed plan, a task Silva called could take a number of years because many countries confronted complicated challenges around dependence on carbon-based energy, or aimed to use the proceeds from selling oil and gas to fund their development.

“The country raises the topic, because it is simultaneously a producing nation and consumer,” she said. “But Brazil is unique, because Brazil, if it wants to, does not have to rely on fossil fuels. We have to understand that there are certain nations that depend on fossil fuels in their economies and don’t have easy solutions, and some where fossil fuels are the basis of their economic structure.

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

Should the pledge gains enough support, the summit could set up a platform in which the process of creating a roadmap to the transition could begin.

The endeavor would involve dialogue with every signatory nations to the UN climate treaty and guidelines for how the initiative would unfold, Silva said. “After we have standards, a management framework can be drawn up; after we have a strategy, and establish protections to be able to establish confidence in the system, I am confident that with these components we can turn good ideas into actions that are clearer, and more concrete.”

There is no guarantee that a proposal to begin drawing up a plan would win approval at the conference, even if it may not need the official approval of the summit, which operates by unanimous agreement and can be disrupted by particular groups. Climate experts have indicated they believe there could be backing for such a idea from about 60 nations, but there are believed to be at least forty against. A total of 195 nations represented at the talks.

“Despite being the root cause of climate change, fossil fuels are about the most divisive topic there is within the international climate talks, so to see a chunky group of nations openly supporting a path to realizing worldwide transition is in itself pretty groundbreaking.”

“In simple terms, there’s no route to a planet where warming stays below 1.5C in which nations cannot to talk about fossil fuel phaseout.”

“We require this wording 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 Saturday on four outstanding topics that have not yet been incorporated into the official schedule: trade, transparency, finance and how to tackle the gap between the emissions cuts nations have proposed and those required to keep to the 1.5-degree temperature target.

A summit president pledged a “document” that would cover these matters, after discussions – which have been underway since the start of the week – were inconclusive. The official called on countries to embrace the “mutirão” attitude, meaning one of cooperation and positive dialogue.

Progress on additional substantive issues – such as adaptation to the impacts of the climate emergency, the fair shift for those affected by the move to a low-carbon economic system and how to strengthen institutional capacity in developing countries – proceeded constructively, the host said.

The host nation's chief negotiator stated the technical part of the COP process was nearing completion, and the political stage – when ministers who have the authority to change their nations' positions arrive – was beginning.