🔗 Share this article

Brazil’s climate chief, the minister, has called on every country to demonstrate the bravery needed to address the imperative of a global transition away from fossil fuels, labeling the development of a roadmap as an “ethical” response to the global warming emergency.

The minister emphasized, though, that participation in this process would be voluntary and “self-determined” for interested governments.

This issue stands as one of the most contentious subjects at the COP30 in the host country, with nations split over if and how such a strategy can be discussed. As the host, the nation has maintained a balanced position on which items can be included on the official agenda.

Silva voiced support for the possibility of a roadmap, though not explicitly committing Brazil to it. She remarked: “In times we have a situation that is quite grim, it is helpful that we have a guide. But the map does not compel us to proceed, or to climb.”

In an interview, the minister added: “The map is an answer to our scientific knowledge [of the climate crisis]. It is an ethical answer.”

Dozens of nations gathered in the host city for the global climate conference, which is starting its second week, are seeking to establish how a worldwide transition of oil, gas, and coal could work. These nations aim to build on a landmark 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 achieved, and although it was passed by all, several nations have since tried to back away from the pledge. Efforts last year to elaborate on its practical meaning were stymied by resistance from petrostates at another UN summit.

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

For these reasons, the host has been cautious of demands by some nations to place the phaseout on the schedule for COP30. But the minister has worked hard in private to ensure the topic could be discussed at the summit outside the official program.

She won over the nation's leader, who gave mention repeatedly to the need to “shift from reliance on traditional energy” at the global leaders' meeting that came before the conference, and at the start of the event.

“This is a matter that we know at some point had to be put forward, because it is the only way to address the issue from the source,” the minister explained. “We recognise that it is challenging, and we must not offer false hopes. Raising the topic is brave, and I hope [to see] this bravery from everyone, from producers and consumers.”

Brazil had not started the call for a transition, the minister clarified, because that had been done at COP28. Instead, it was enabling the talks to take place in line with what some countries desired. “We understand these subjects are delicate. We will provide the opportunity to discuss it,” the minister added.

Time is insufficient at the summit to draw up a roadmap, a task the minister said could take several years because many countries confronted complex challenges around reliance on fossil fuels, or aimed to use the proceeds from exporting fossil fuels to finance their economic growth.

“Brazil raises the topic, because Brazil is simultaneously a producing nation and user,” she said. “But Brazil is unique, because Brazil, if it wants to, need not rely on fossil fuels. We have to recognise that there are certain nations that depend on fossil fuels in their economies and don’t have easy alternatives, and others where oil and gas are the foundation of their economic structure.

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

If the proposal gains sufficient backing, the summit could set up a platform in which the process of creating a strategy to the phaseout could start.

The endeavor would require discussions with all participating countries to the UN climate treaty and criteria for how the initiative would proceed, the minister said. “After we have criteria, a governance structure can be drawn up; once we have a strategy, and create safeguards to be able to establish trust in the system, I believe that with these components we can turn good ideas into steps that are more defined, and more concrete.”

It is uncertain that a proposal to begin developing a plan would be accepted at the conference, although it may not need the official approval of the conference, which proceeds by consensus and can be disrupted by particular groups. Climate experts have suggested they think there could be support for such a idea from about 60 nations, but there are believed to be at least 40 against. A total of one hundred ninety-five nations participating at the talks.

“Despite being the primary source of climate change, carbon-based energy are about the most contentious topic there is within the international climate talks, so to see a sizable group of countries openly supporting a route to achieving global transition is in itself highly significant.”

“Put simply, there’s no path to a planet where warming stays below 1.5C in which nations aren’t able to discuss ending fossil fuel use.”

“We require this language for actual in this discussion. It’s quite stupid that we discuss all topics but then when the main issue are the real challenge.”

Negotiations continued on Saturday on four unresolved topics that have still not been incorporated into the official schedule: trade, transparency, funding and how to address the gap between the carbon reduction countries have proposed and those needed to keep to the 1.5C temperature target.

The summit president promised a “note” that would address these matters, after discussions – which have been going on since Monday – were unresolved. He called on nations to embrace the “mutirão” spirit, referring to one of collaboration and positive discussion.

Work on additional key issues – including adjustment to the effects of the climate crisis, the just transition for those impacted by the transition to a low-carbon economic system and how to build governance capabilities in less developed nations – carried on constructively, the presidency said.

The host nation's lead representative stated the detailed part of the summit proceedings was nearing the end, and the high-level phase – when government leaders who have the authority to change their countries’ stances join – was beginning.