🔗 Share this article

Brazil’s climate chief, the minister, has called on all nations to show the bravery needed to address the necessity of a worldwide transition away from fossil fuels, labeling the development of a roadmap as an “moral” answer to the climate crisis.

The minister stressed, though, that involvement in this process would be voluntary and “independently decided” for interested governments.

The topic stands as one of the most contentious matters at the UN climate summit in Brazil, with nations split over if and in what way such a strategy can be discussed. Hosting the event, the nation has maintained a balanced stance on what can be included on the official agenda.

Silva voiced support for the possibility of a plan, though not explicitly committing the country to it. The minister remarked: “In times we have a terrain that is quite grim, it is good that we have a guide. But the guide does not compel us to travel, or to advance.”

Speaking further, the minister added: “The map is an response to our scientific knowledge [of the climate emergency]. It is an ethical response.”

Dozens of countries meeting in Belém for the global climate conference, which is starting its next phase, are seeking to establish how a worldwide transition of oil, gas, and coal could be implemented. These nations hope to advance a historic agreement made two years ago at COP28 to “move away from fossil fuels.”

That commitment lacked a timetable or specifics on the way it could be achieved, and even though it was passed unanimously, some nations have since tried to back away from the pledge. Attempts last year to elaborate on its practical meaning were blocked by opposition from oil-dependent nations at COP29.

As a result, there was no reference of the transition away from carbon fuels in the outcome of COP29.

Because of this, the host has been cautious of calls by certain nations to include the phaseout on the agenda for COP30. But the minister has worked hard behind the scenes to ensure the topic could be talked about at the conference apart from the formal program.

The minister won over the nation's president, and he made public reference three times to the need to “move away from dependence on traditional energy” at the global leaders' meeting that came before COP30, and at the opening of the event.

“This is a matter that we understand at a certain time had to be raised, because it is the sole way to address the issue from the root,” Marina Silva said. “We recognise that it is not easy, and we cannot offer unrealistic expectations. Bringing up the topic is brave, and I hope [to see] this courage from all, from producers and consumers.”

Brazil had not started the call for a transition, she clarified, because that had been initiated at the earlier summit. Instead, it was enabling the talks to occur in accordance with what some nations wished. “We know these topics are delicate. We will provide the opportunity to discuss it,” she added.

Time is insufficient at the summit to create a detailed plan, a task the minister called could take a number of years because many nations confronted complicated challenges around reliance on fossil fuels, or aimed to use the proceeds from selling oil and gas to finance their development.

“Brazil brings up the subject, because it is both a producing nation and user,” she noted. “But Brazil is unique, because Brazil, if it wants to, need not depend on fossil fuels. We have to understand that there are certain nations that depend on carbon energy in their economies and lack simple alternatives, and others where fossil fuels are the basis of their economic structure.

“To be just is to be fair to all, but the fundamental, basic fairness is to avoid being unfair to the planet, because it is our shared home.”

If the proposal receives enough support, the summit could establish a platform in which the work of creating a roadmap to the phaseout could begin.

This process would involve dialogue with all participating nations to the UN framework convention on climate change and guidelines for how the initiative would unfold, the minister said. “After we have criteria, a governance structure can be developed; once we have a plan, and create safeguards to be able to establish trust in the system, I believe that with these elements we can turn positive concepts into steps that are more defined, and more concrete.”

There is no guarantee that a suggestion to start drawing up a plan would be accepted at COP30, although it may not need the official consent of the summit, which operates by consensus and can be disrupted by special interests. COP analysts have suggested they think there could be support for such a proposal from about 60 nations, but there are believed to be at least 40 opposed. A total of one hundred ninety-five nations represented at the talks.

“In spite of being the root cause of global warming, carbon-based energy are about the most divisive subject there is within the international climate talks, so to see a sizable group of countries publicly backing a path to achieving global transition is in itself pretty groundbreaking.”

“In simple terms, there’s no route to a planet where temperature rise remains below 1.5 degrees in which nations cannot to discuss ending fossil fuel use.”

“We require this wording for real in this discussion. It’s quite stupid that we discuss everything but then when the main issue are the actual problem.”

Negotiations carried on on the weekend on four unresolved topics that have still not been incorporated into the official agenda: commerce, openness, finance and how to tackle the shortfall between the emissions cuts countries have planned and those needed to hold to the 1.5C warming limit.

A summit chair pledged a “note” that would address these issues, after consultations – which have been going on since the start of the week – were inconclusive. He called on countries to embrace the “mutirão” spirit, referring to one of collaboration and constructive discussion.

Work on additional key topics – such as adjustment to the effects of the climate crisis, the fair shift for those affected by the transition to a green economic system and how to strengthen institutional capacity in developing countries – carried on productively, the presidency said.

Brazil’s lead representative stated the detailed phase of the COP process was approaching the end, and the political stage – when government leaders who have the authority to change their countries’ positions join – was starting.