🔗 Share this article

The climate chief, Marina Silva, has urged every country to show the courage needed to confront the imperative of a global transition away from fossil fuels, describing the development of a detailed plan as an “ethical” response to the climate crisis.

She emphasized, however, that involvement in this endeavor would be optional and “independently decided” for interested governments.

This issue stands as one of the most debated matters at the COP30 in the host country, with countries divided over if and how such a strategy can be discussed. As the host, the nation has adopted a balanced position on what can be included on the official schedule.

The official voiced approval for the potential of a plan, without explicitly pledging Brazil to it. She remarked: “When we have a terrain that is quite grim, it is helpful that we have a map. But the map does not compel us to travel, or to advance.”

Speaking further, she noted: “The roadmap is an answer to our scientific knowledge [of the climate crisis]. It is an moral answer.”

Scores of nations meeting in the host city for the global climate conference, which is entering its next phase, are aiming to determine how a worldwide phaseout 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 fossil fuels.”

The commitment lacked a timetable or specifics on how it could be achieved, and even though it was passed by all, several countries have later attempted to back away from the pledge. Efforts last year to expand on its practical meaning were stymied by opposition from oil-dependent nations at another UN summit.

Consequently, there was no mention of the transition away from carbon fuels in the final agreement of COP29.

Because of this, the host has been wary of demands by certain countries to include the phaseout on the agenda for the current summit. But Silva has strived in private to ensure the topic could be discussed at the summit apart from the formal agenda.

She convinced the nation's president, and he made mention repeatedly to the need to “shift from dependence 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 know at some point had to be put forward, because it is the sole way to address the issue from the source,” Marina Silva explained. “We recognise that it is not easy, and we must not offer unrealistic expectations. Bringing up the subject is courageous, and I hope [to see] this bravery from all, from producers and consumers.”

Brazil had not started the call for a phaseout, she clarified, because that had been done at COP28. Rather, it was enabling the talks to take place in accordance with what certain countries wished. “We know these topics 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 a number of years because numerous nations confronted complex issues around reliance on carbon-based energy, or wanted to use the revenue from selling oil and gas to fund their economic growth.

“Brazil brings up the subject, because it is both a producer and user,” the minister said. “But Brazil is unique, because it, if it wants to, need not depend on non-renewables. We have to recognise that there are some that rely on carbon energy in their economies and lack simple solutions, and others where fossil fuels are the basis of their economy.

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

If the pledge receives sufficient support, the summit could establish a platform in which the process of drawing up a roadmap to the phaseout could begin.

The endeavor would require dialogue with every signatory nations to the UN framework convention on climate change and criteria for how the process would unfold, Silva explained. “Once we have standards, a management framework can be developed; after we have a plan, and create protections to be able to establish trust in the system, I believe that with these components we can transform good ideas into steps that are more defined, and more tangible.”

There is no guarantee that a suggestion to start drawing up a roadmap would win approval at the conference, although it may not need the official consent of the conference, which proceeds by consensus and can be hijacked by special interests. COP experts have indicated they think there could be backing for such a proposal from about 60 nations, but there are believed to be at least forty opposed. There are 195 nations participating at the negotiations.

“In spite of being the primary source of climate change, fossil fuels are about the most divisive subject there is within the UN negotiations, so to see a sizable coalition of nations publicly supporting a route to achieving worldwide transition is in itself highly significant.”

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

“We need this wording for actual in this conversation. It’s highly illogical that we talk about all topics but then when the main issue are the real problem.”

Negotiations carried on on Saturday on four outstanding issues that have still not been incorporated into the formal agenda: trade, transparency, funding and how to address the shortfall between the carbon reduction countries have proposed and those required to keep to the 1.5-degree warming target.

A summit chair promised a “note” that would address these matters, after discussions – which have been going on since Monday – were inconclusive. The official urged countries to embrace the “mutirão” attitude, meaning one of cooperation and positive discussion.

Progress on additional substantive topics – such as adaptation to the effects of the climate crisis, the just transition for those impacted by the transition to a green economy and how to build governance capabilities in developing countries – proceeded constructively, the host reported.

Brazil’s chief negotiator said the technical phase of the summit process was approaching the end, and the high-level stage – when ministers who have the authority to change their countries’ positions join – was beginning.