🔗 Share this article

The climate chief, Marina Silva, has called on every country to show the courage needed to confront the imperative of a global transition away from fossil fuels, describing the creation of a roadmap as an “moral” response to the global warming emergency.

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

The topic stands as one of the most debated matters at the COP30 in the host country, with countries split over if and in what way such a roadmap can be addressed. Hosting the event, the nation has maintained a balanced stance on which items can be placed on the official agenda.

The official expressed support for the possibility of a plan, though not explicitly pledging Brazil to it. The minister stated: “When we have a terrain that is very challenging, it is good that we have a guide. But the map does not force us to travel, or to climb.”

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

Dozens of nations meeting in Belém for the global climate conference, which is entering its second week, are seeking to establish how a worldwide phaseout of fossil fuels could be implemented. They hope to advance a landmark agreement made two years ago at COP28 to “transition away from fossil fuels.”

That pledge lacked a schedule or specifics on how it could be realized, and even though it was adopted unanimously, several countries have since tried to disavow the promise. Attempts last year to expand on its practical meaning were blocked by opposition from oil-dependent nations at COP29.

Consequently, there was no mention of the transition away from fossil fuels in the outcome of COP29.

Because of this, Brazil has been wary of demands by certain countries to include the transition on the agenda for COP30. But Silva has strived in private to make sure the pledge could be talked about at the conference outside the official agenda.

The minister won over Brazil’s leader, and he made mention three times to the need to “shift from reliance on fossil fuels” at the summit of world leaders that preceded COP30, and at the opening of the summit.

“This is a matter that we know at some point had to be raised, because it is the sole way to address the issue from the source,” the minister explained. “We recognise that it is challenging, and we must not offer unrealistic expectations. Raising the topic is courageous, and I hope [to see] this bravery from all, from producers and consumers.”

Brazil had not initiated the call for a transition, she clarified, because that had been done at the earlier summit. Instead, it was enabling the discussions to take place in accordance with what some nations desired. “We know these subjects are delicate. We will give the opportunity to discuss it,” she added.

There is not enough time at the summit to create a detailed plan, a task the minister said 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 exporting oil and gas to finance their development.

“Brazil brings up the topic, because it is simultaneously a producer and consumer,” she noted. “But the nation is different, because it, if it chooses to, does not have to rely on non-renewables. We have to understand that there are certain nations that rely on carbon energy in their economies and don’t have simple solutions, and others where oil and gas are the foundation of their economy.

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

Should the proposal gains enough backing, COP30 could establish a forum in which the process of drawing up a strategy to the phaseout could begin.

The process would require discussions with every participating countries to the UN climate treaty and criteria for how the initiative would proceed, Silva said. “Once we have criteria, a governance structure can be drawn up; once we have a strategy, and establish safeguards to be able to establish trust in the system, I believe that with these elements we can turn good ideas into actions that are clearer, and more tangible.”

It is uncertain that a proposal to begin drawing up a roadmap would win approval at the conference, although it may not need the official consent of the conference, which operates by unanimous agreement and can be hijacked by particular groups. COP experts have indicated they think there could be backing for such a idea from about sixty nations, but there are thought to be at least forty opposed. A total of 195 countries participating at the negotiations.

“Despite being the root cause of climate change, fossil fuels are about the most contentious topic there is within the international climate talks, so to see a chunky group of countries publicly backing a route to achieving global phaseout is in itself highly significant.”

“In simple terms, there’s no path to a world where temperature rise stays below 1.5 degrees in which nations cannot to talk about ending fossil fuel use.”

“We require this language for actual in this discussion. It’s highly illogical that we discuss all topics but that when fossil fuels are the actual problem.”

Discussions continued on the weekend on several unresolved topics that have still not been included into the official schedule: trade, openness, funding and how to address the gap between the emissions cuts countries have proposed and those required to hold to the 1.5C warming limit.

A COP30 chair promised a “document” that would cover these matters, after consultations – which have been underway since the start of the week – were inconclusive. The official called on countries to adopt the “mutirão” attitude, referring to one of collaboration and constructive dialogue.

Work on additional key 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 governance capabilities in less developed nations – carried on constructively, the host reported.

The host nation's chief negotiator stated the technical part of the COP process was approaching the end, and the political phase – when government leaders who have the power to change their countries’ positions arrive – was starting.