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The climate chief, Marina Silva, has called on every country to demonstrate the bravery needed to address the necessity of a global transition away from fossil fuels, describing the development of a roadmap as an “moral” answer to the climate crisis.

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

This issue remains one of the most contentious subjects at the UN climate summit in Brazil, with nations split over if and in what way such a roadmap can be addressed. As the host, the nation has maintained a balanced stance on what can be included on the official schedule.

The official expressed approval for the potential of a plan, without directly pledging the country to it. She stated: “When we have a situation that is very challenging, it is helpful that we have a map. But the guide does not force us to proceed, or to advance.”

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

Scores of nations meeting in the host city for the global climate conference, which is entering its second week, are aiming to establish how a global phaseout of fossil fuels could work. They hope to advance a historic agreement reached two years ago at a previous UN summit to “move away from non-renewable energy sources.”

The commitment had no a schedule or details on how it could be achieved, and even though it was passed by all, some countries have since tried to disavow the pledge. Efforts last year to expand on its practical meaning were stymied by opposition from petrostates at COP29.

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

Because of this, Brazil has been cautious of demands 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 formal agenda.

She won over the nation's leader, and he made mention three times to the need to “move away from dependence on traditional energy” at the global leaders' meeting that preceded COP30, and at the start of the summit.

“The issue is something that we know at some point had to be put forward, because it is the sole way to face the problem from the root,” Marina Silva said. “We acknowledge that it is not easy, and we cannot sell unrealistic expectations. Raising the topic is courageous, and I wish [to see] this courage from everyone, from producing nations and using countries.”

The nation had not started the push for a phaseout, she clarified, because that had been initiated at COP28. Rather, it was allowing the discussions to take place in accordance with what certain nations desired. “We know these topics are sensitive. We will give the opportunity to discuss it,” she added.

There is not enough time at COP30 to draw up a detailed plan, a task the minister called could take a number of years because numerous countries confronted complicated challenges around dependence on fossil fuels, or aimed to use the proceeds from selling fossil fuels to finance their economic growth.

“Brazil raises the topic, because Brazil is both a producing nation and user,” the minister 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 certain nations that rely on carbon energy in their economic systems and lack simple alternatives, and some where oil and gas are the basis of their economy.

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

Should the pledge gains sufficient support, COP30 could establish a forum in which the work of creating a strategy to the transition could start.

This process would involve discussions with every signatory countries to the UN framework convention on climate change and criteria for how the process would proceed, Silva explained. “Once we have standards, a management framework can be developed; once we have a strategy, and establish protections to be able to establish confidence in the system, I believe that with these elements we can transform positive concepts into steps that are more defined, and more concrete.”

There is no guarantee that a suggestion to start developing a plan would win approval at the conference, although it does not require the official consent of the conference, which operates by consensus and can be hijacked by special interests. Climate experts have indicated they think there could be backing for such a idea from about sixty countries, but there are thought to be at least forty against. A total of one hundred ninety-five nations represented at the negotiations.

“In spite of being the root cause of climate change, fossil fuels are about the most contentious topic there is within the UN negotiations, so to see a sizable group of nations openly supporting a route to achieving worldwide transition is in itself highly significant.”

“Put simply, there’s no route to a planet where temperature rise remains below 1.5C in which nations cannot to talk about fossil fuel phaseout.”

“We require this language for actual in this conversation. It’s highly illogical that we talk about everything but that when the main issue are the actual problem.”

Discussions carried on on Saturday on four unresolved issues that have still not been included into the formal agenda: trade, transparency, finance and how to address the shortfall between the carbon reduction countries have planned and those needed to hold to the 1.5C warming target.

The COP30 president promised a “document” that would address these issues, after consultations – which have been underway since the start of the week – were unresolved. He called on countries to embrace the “mutirão” attitude, referring to one of collaboration and positive dialogue.

Progress on additional key issues – including adaptation to the impacts of the climate emergency, the fair shift for those impacted by the move to a green economy and how to build governance capabilities in less developed nations – carried on productively, the host reported.

The host nation's chief negotiator said the technical phase of the COP process was approaching completion, and the high-level stage – when ministers who have the power to change their countries’ stances join – was beginning.