Brazil's Environment Minister Calls for Courage to Create Fossil Fuel Phaseout Roadmap at COP30

The environment minister, the minister, has urged every country to demonstrate the bravery needed to address the necessity of a global transition away from fossil fuels, describing the development of a roadmap as an “moral” response to the climate crisis.

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

The topic stands as one of the most debated subjects at the COP30 in the host country, with countries split over whether and how such a roadmap can be discussed. Hosting the event, the nation has adopted a carefully neutral stance on which items can be included on the formal agenda.

Silva expressed approval for the possibility of a plan, though not directly pledging Brazil to it. She remarked: “When we have a situation that is quite grim, it is good that we have a map. But the guide does not force us to travel, or to climb.”

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

Scores of countries gathered in Belém for the global climate conference, which is starting its next phase, are aiming to establish how a global phaseout of fossil fuels could work. These nations aim to build on a landmark resolution reached two years ago at a previous UN summit to “move away from fossil fuels.”

That commitment lacked a timetable or details on how it could be achieved, and even though it was adopted by all, some countries have since attempted to back away from the promise. Efforts last year to expand on its real-world meaning were stymied by resistance from petrostates at another UN summit.

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

Because of this, Brazil has been wary of demands by certain countries to include the phaseout on the agenda for COP30. But the minister has worked hard behind the scenes to make sure the topic could be discussed at the summit outside the official agenda.

She convinced the nation's president, and he made mention three times to the need to “shift from dependence on traditional energy” at the summit of world leaders that preceded COP30, 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 sole way to face the issue from the source,” Marina Silva said. “We acknowledge that it is challenging, and we must not sell unrealistic expectations. Raising the topic is brave, and I hope [to see] this courage from all, from producing nations and using countries.”

The nation had not started the call for a phaseout, the minister clarified, because that had been done at COP28. Rather, it was allowing the talks to take place in accordance with what some countries desired. “We know these subjects are sensitive. We will give the chance to discuss it,” she said.

Time is insufficient at COP30 to create a detailed plan, a task the minister called could take several years because numerous nations faced complicated challenges around dependence on carbon-based energy, or aimed to use the proceeds from selling fossil fuels to finance their economic growth.

“Brazil raises the subject, because it is simultaneously a producing nation and consumer,” the minister noted. “But Brazil is unique, because it, if it wants to, need not rely on fossil fuels. We have to recognise that there are certain nations that depend on carbon energy in their economies and don’t have simple alternatives, and some where fossil fuels are the foundation of their economy.

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

Should the proposal gains enough support, the summit could set up a platform in which the process of creating a roadmap to the phaseout could begin.

This endeavor would require dialogue with all signatory countries to the UN framework convention on climate change and criteria for how the process would proceed, Silva explained. “After we have criteria, a governance structure can be drawn up; once we have a strategy, and create protections to be able to establish confidence in the process, I believe that with these elements we can transform good ideas into steps that are clearer, and more concrete.”

It is uncertain that a proposal to begin developing a roadmap would win approval at the conference, even if it does not require the official consent of the summit, which operates by unanimous agreement and can be hijacked by particular groups. Climate experts have suggested they believe there could be support for such a proposal from about 60 nations, but there are believed to be at least 40 against. There are one hundred ninety-five nations represented at the talks.

“In spite of being the primary source of global warming, fossil fuels are about the most contentious topic there is within the UN negotiations, so to see a sizable coalition of countries openly supporting a path to realizing global transition is in itself pretty groundbreaking.”

“Put simply, there’s no route to a world where warming remains below 1.5C in which countries cannot to discuss fossil fuel phaseout.”

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

Discussions continued on Saturday on four unresolved issues that have not yet been included into the formal agenda: trade, openness, funding and how to tackle the shortfall between the emissions cuts nations have proposed and those needed to keep to the 1.5-degree warming limit.

The COP30 president pledged a “note” that would address these issues, after discussions – which have been going on since the start of the week – were unresolved. He called on countries to embrace the “mutirão” attitude, referring to one of cooperation and positive discussion.

Progress on other substantive issues – such as adjustment to the effects of the climate emergency, the fair shift for those affected by the transition to a green economic system and how to build governance capabilities in less developed nations – proceeded productively, the host said.

Brazil’s lead representative stated the technical part of the COP proceedings was approaching completion, and the high-level stage – when government leaders who have the power to change their nations' stances arrive – was beginning.