🔗 Share this article

Brazil’s climate chief, the minister, has urged every country to demonstrate the courage needed to confront the imperative of a global fossil fuel phaseout, describing the development of a roadmap as an “moral” response to the global warming emergency.

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

The topic stands as one of the most contentious subjects at the UN climate summit in the host country, with nations divided over whether and in what way such a roadmap can be addressed. As the host, Brazil has maintained a carefully neutral position on which items can be placed on the official schedule.

Silva expressed support for the possibility of a roadmap, though not directly committing the country to it. The minister remarked: “When we have a terrain that is very challenging, it is helpful that we have a map. But the guide does not force us to proceed, or to climb.”

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

Dozens of nations meeting in Belém for the UN climate summit, which is entering its second week, are aiming to establish how a worldwide transition of fossil fuels could be implemented. These nations aim to advance a historic resolution made two years ago at COP28 to “transition away from fossil fuels.”

That commitment had no a timetable or specifics on the way it could be realized, and even though it was adopted unanimously, some nations have later attempted to disavow the pledge. Efforts last year to expand on its real-world meaning were stymied by opposition from petrostates at COP29.

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

For these reasons, Brazil has been cautious of calls by certain countries to include the transition on the agenda for the current summit. But Silva has strived behind the scenes to make sure the pledge could be discussed at the conference outside the formal agenda.

She convinced Brazil’s leader, and he gave mention repeatedly to the need to “shift from dependence on traditional energy” at the summit of world leaders that preceded COP30, and at the start of the event.

“The issue is a matter that we understand at some point had to be raised, because it is the only way to face the issue from the root,” the minister explained. “We acknowledge that it is challenging, and we cannot sell unrealistic expectations. Raising the subject is brave, and I hope [to see] this courage from all, from producing nations and using countries.”

Brazil had not started the push for a phaseout, she clarified, because that had been initiated at the earlier summit. Rather, it was allowing the talks to occur in line with what certain countries desired. “We know these topics are delicate. We will give the chance to discuss it,” she added.

There is not enough time at COP30 to create a detailed plan, a task Silva said could take several years because many nations faced complicated challenges around dependence on fossil fuels, or aimed to use the revenue from exporting fossil fuels to fund their development.

“The country brings up the subject, because it is simultaneously a producer and consumer,” she noted. “But the nation is unique, because it, if it chooses to, need not rely on fossil fuels. We have to recognise that there are certain nations that rely on fossil fuels in their economies and don’t have easy solutions, and some where fossil fuels are the foundation of their economy.

“To be fair is to be just to everyone, but the fundamental, primordial justice is not being unjust to the planet, because it is our shared home.”

Should the proposal receives sufficient support, COP30 could establish a platform in which the process of drawing up a strategy to the phaseout could begin.

This process would require dialogue with all participating nations to the UN climate treaty and criteria for how the initiative would proceed, the minister said. “After we have standards, a governance structure can be developed; once we have a strategy, and create protections to be able to build confidence in the process, I am confident that with these components we can turn positive concepts into actions that are more defined, and more concrete.”

It is uncertain that a suggestion to begin drawing up a roadmap would win approval at COP30, although it may not need the formal consent of the summit, 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 60 nations, but there are thought to be at least 40 against. There are 195 countries represented at the talks.

“In spite of being the root cause of global warming, carbon-based energy are about the most contentious subject there is within the UN negotiations, so to see a sizable group of nations publicly backing a route to realizing global phaseout is in itself highly significant.”

“In simple terms, there’s no route to a world where temperature rise stays below 1.5C in which nations cannot to discuss fossil fuel phaseout.”

“We need this wording for actual in this discussion. It’s highly illogical that we talk about all topics but then when fossil fuels are the actual challenge.”

Discussions continued on the weekend on four unresolved topics that have still not been included into the official agenda: commerce, openness, funding and how to tackle the gap between the emissions cuts nations have planned and those needed to keep to the 1.5-degree temperature limit.

The summit chair pledged a “note” that would address these matters, after discussions – which have been going on since the start of the week – were unresolved. The official urged nations to adopt the “mutirão” spirit, meaning one of cooperation and positive discussion.

Progress on other substantive issues – including adaptation to the effects of the climate crisis, the fair shift for those affected by the move to a low-carbon economy and how to build governance capabilities in developing countries – carried on productively, the presidency said.

The host nation's lead representative stated the detailed phase of the COP process was nearing the end, and the political phase – when government leaders who have the authority to change their countries’ positions join – was starting.