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The climate chief, Marina Silva, has called on every country to show the bravery needed to confront the imperative of a worldwide transition away from fossil fuels, describing the creation of a detailed plan as an “ethical” answer to the global warming emergency.

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

This issue remains one of the most debated subjects at the UN climate summit in the host country, with countries split over if and how such a roadmap can be addressed. As the host, the nation has adopted a balanced position on what can be placed on the formal agenda.

The official voiced approval for the potential of a plan, though not explicitly committing the country to it. She remarked: “In times we have a terrain that is quite grim, it is helpful that we have a guide. But the guide does not force us to proceed, or to advance.”

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

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

That pledge lacked a schedule or specifics on the way it could be realized, and even though it was passed unanimously, some countries have later attempted to back away from the promise. Efforts last year to elaborate on its real-world implications were blocked by resistance from petrostates at another UN summit.

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

Because of this, the host has been cautious of demands by some countries 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 conference outside the formal program.

She won over Brazil’s president, and he gave mention repeatedly to the need to “shift from reliance 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 understand at some point had to be raised, because it is the only way to face the problem from the root,” the minister explained. “We recognise that it is not easy, and we cannot offer false hopes. Bringing up the topic is courageous, and I wish [to see] this courage from all, from producers and using countries.”

Brazil had not started the push for a transition, she said, because that had been done at COP28. Rather, it was enabling the talks to take place in line with what some nations wished. “We understand these topics are sensitive. We will give the opportunity to discuss it,” she said.

There is not enough time at the summit to create a detailed plan, a process Silva called could take a number of years because many nations faced complicated challenges around reliance on fossil fuels, or wanted to use the proceeds from selling oil and gas to fund their development.

“Brazil raises the subject, because it is both a producer and consumer,” she said. “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 depend on fossil fuels in their economies and don’t have simple solutions, and some where fossil fuels are the foundation of their economic structure.

“To be fair is to be fair to all, but the fundamental, primordial justice is not being unjust to the Earth, because it is our home.”

If the proposal receives enough backing, COP30 could establish a forum in which the work of creating a strategy to the transition could begin.

The endeavor would require discussions with every signatory nations to the UN climate treaty and criteria for how the initiative would unfold, the minister said. “Once we have standards, a management framework can be drawn up; after we have a strategy, and establish safeguards to be able to establish confidence in the system, I believe that with these elements we can transform positive concepts into steps that are clearer, and more concrete.”

There is no guarantee that a suggestion to begin drawing up a roadmap would be accepted at the conference, although it may not need the formal approval of the summit, which proceeds by consensus and can be hijacked by special interests. COP experts have suggested they believe there could be support for such a idea from about 60 countries, but there are believed to be at least forty against. A total of 195 nations participating at the talks.

“In spite of being the root cause of global warming, fossil fuels are about the most contentious topic there is within the UN negotiations, so to see a sizable coalition of nations publicly supporting a path to achieving global transition is in itself pretty groundbreaking.”

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

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

Negotiations continued on Saturday on several outstanding topics that have not yet been included into the formal schedule: trade, transparency, finance and how to address the gap between the emissions cuts nations have proposed and those required to keep to the 1.5-degree warming limit.

A COP30 chair pledged a “document” that would address these matters, after consultations – which have been going on since the start of the week – were inconclusive. He urged countries to embrace the “mutirão” spirit, meaning one of cooperation and positive dialogue.

Work on additional key issues – including adaptation to the effects of the climate crisis, the fair shift for those affected by the move to a green economy and how to build institutional capacity in developing countries – carried on productively, the presidency reported.

The host nation's lead representative stated the detailed phase of the COP proceedings was approaching the end, and the political phase – when government leaders who have the authority to change their countries’ stances arrive – was beginning.