🔗 Share this article

The climate chief, Marina Silva, has called on every country to show the courage needed to address the necessity of a worldwide transition away from fossil fuels, describing the creation of a roadmap as an “ethical” response to the climate crisis.

She emphasized, however, that involvement in this process would be optional and “self-determined” for interested nations.

This issue remains one of the most contentious matters at the COP30 in the host country, with nations split over whether and how such a strategy can be addressed. Hosting the event, Brazil has adopted a balanced stance on which items can be placed on the official agenda.

The official voiced support for the potential of a roadmap, without directly committing the country to it. She remarked: “When we have a terrain that is very challenging, it is good that we have a map. But the map does not compel us to travel, or to climb.”

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

Scores of countries meeting in the host city for the global climate conference, which is entering its second week, are aiming to determine how a global phaseout of oil, gas, and coal could be implemented. They hope to advance a historic resolution reached two years ago at a previous UN summit to “transition away from non-renewable energy sources.”

That commitment lacked a schedule or details on the way it could be achieved, and even though it was passed by all, several countries have since tried to back away from the promise. Attempts last year to elaborate on its real-world implications were blocked by opposition from oil-dependent nations at another UN summit.

Consequently, there was no mention of the shift away from carbon fuels in the outcome of COP29.

Because of this, Brazil has been wary of demands by certain countries to place the transition on the agenda for COP30. But the minister has worked hard in private to ensure the pledge could be talked about at the conference apart from the formal program.

The minister convinced the nation's president, and he gave public reference three times to the need to “shift from dependence on traditional energy” at the summit of world leaders that preceded the conference, and at the opening of the event.

“The issue is a matter that we know at a certain time had to be put forward, because it is the sole way to address the problem from the root,” the minister said. “We recognise that it is challenging, and we must not offer unrealistic expectations. Bringing up the topic is courageous, and I wish [to see] this bravery from all, from producing nations and consumers.”

The nation had not started the push for a transition, she said, because that had been initiated at COP28. Instead, it was allowing the discussions to occur in accordance with what some nations desired. “We understand these subjects are sensitive. We will provide the opportunity to discuss it,” she added.

There is not enough time at the summit to draw up a detailed plan, a task the minister called could take a number of years because numerous nations faced complicated challenges around reliance on fossil fuels, or wanted to use the proceeds from selling oil and gas to fund their economic growth.

“Brazil raises the subject, because Brazil is both a producer and user,” the minister said. “But the nation is unique, because Brazil, if it wants to, does not have to rely on fossil fuels. We have to recognise that there are some that rely on fossil fuels in their economies and don’t have easy solutions, and others where oil and gas are the basis of their economy.

“To be just is to be fair to all, but the essential, primordial fairness is to avoid being unfair to the Earth, because it is our shared home.”

If the proposal gains sufficient backing, the summit could set up a platform in which the work of drawing up a roadmap to the transition could begin.

The endeavor would involve discussions with all participating nations to the UN climate treaty and guidelines for how the process would proceed, Silva said. “Once we have criteria, a governance structure can be developed; once we have a plan, and create safeguards to be able to establish confidence in the system, I am confident that with these components we can transform positive concepts into steps that are more defined, and more concrete.”

It is uncertain that a suggestion to start drawing up a roadmap would win approval at COP30, although it does not require the official consent of the conference, which operates by consensus and can be hijacked by particular groups. Climate analysts have suggested they believe there could be backing for such a idea from about sixty countries, but there are believed to be at least 40 against. A total of 195 nations represented at the talks.

“In spite of 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 countries openly backing a route to achieving global transition is in itself highly significant.”

“Put simply, there’s no path to a world where temperature rise stays below 1.5 degrees in which countries cannot to talk about fossil fuel phaseout.”

“We need this wording for real in this discussion. It’s highly illogical that we discuss everything but that when fossil fuels are the real problem.”

Discussions continued on Saturday on four outstanding issues that have still not been included into the formal agenda: commerce, transparency, funding and how to tackle the shortfall between the carbon reduction nations have proposed and those required to keep to the 1.5-degree temperature target.

A COP30 president promised a “note” that would address these matters, after consultations – which have been underway since Monday – were inconclusive. The official urged nations to adopt the “mutirão” spirit, meaning one of collaboration and constructive discussion.

Progress on other substantive topics – such as adjustment to the impacts of the climate emergency, the just transition for those affected by the transition to a low-carbon economic system and how to strengthen institutional capacity in developing countries – carried on productively, the presidency said.

The host nation's chief negotiator said the detailed phase of the COP proceedings was nearing completion, and the political stage – when ministers who have the power to alter their countries’ stances arrive – was starting.