Brazilian Minister Urges Boldness to Create Fossil Fuel Phase-out Roadmap at COP30

The environment minister, the minister, has urged every country to demonstrate the courage needed to confront the necessity of a global fossil fuel phaseout, describing the creation of a detailed plan as an “ethical” answer to the global warming emergency.

She stressed, however, that involvement in this process would be optional and “independently decided” for willing governments.

The topic remains one of the most debated subjects at the COP30 in Brazil, with nations split over if and in what way such a roadmap can be discussed. Hosting the event, the nation has adopted a balanced position on which items can be included on the official agenda.

The official expressed support for the possibility of a plan, though not directly committing the country to it. She remarked: “In times we have a situation that is quite grim, it is good that we have a map. But the guide does not compel us to proceed, or to advance.”

In an interview, she added: “The roadmap is an answer to our scientific understanding [of the climate crisis]. It is an ethical answer.”

Scores of nations gathered in Belém for the global climate conference, which is starting its second week, are seeking to establish how a global transition of fossil fuels could work. They hope to build on a historic resolution made two years ago at COP28 to “move away from non-renewable energy sources.”

The commitment lacked a timetable or specifics on how it could be achieved, and even though it was adopted by all, some nations have since attempted to disavow the promise. Attempts last year to expand on its real-world meaning were blocked by opposition from petrostates at another UN summit.

As a result, there was no mention of the transition away from fossil fuels in the final agreement of that conference.

For these reasons, Brazil has been wary of demands by certain nations to include the transition on the agenda for COP30. But the minister has strived behind the scenes to make sure the pledge could be talked about at the summit outside the official program.

She convinced Brazil’s leader, and he gave mention repeatedly to the need to “shift from dependence on traditional energy” at the global leaders' meeting that came before the conference, and at the start of the summit.

“This is a matter that we understand at a certain time had to be raised, because it is the only way to face the problem from the root,” Marina Silva said. “We acknowledge that it is challenging, and we cannot offer unrealistic expectations. Raising the topic is courageous, and I hope [to see] this bravery from everyone, from producers 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 enabling the discussions to take place in accordance with what some countries wished. “We know these topics are delicate. We will provide the chance to discuss it,” the minister added.

There is not enough time at COP30 to draw up a detailed plan, a task the minister called could take a number of years because many nations faced complicated issues around dependence on carbon-based energy, or aimed to use the revenue from selling fossil fuels to finance their development.

“Brazil raises the topic, because it is both a producer and user,” she said. “But the nation is different, because Brazil, if it chooses to, does not have to rely on fossil fuels. We have to understand that there are some that depend on carbon energy in their economic systems and lack simple solutions, and some where oil and gas are the foundation of their economic structure.

“To be fair is to be just to all, but the essential, basic justice is not being unjust to the planet, because it is our shared home.”

If the pledge receives enough backing, the summit could set up a forum in which the process of drawing up a strategy to the transition could start.

The endeavor would require dialogue with every participating countries to the UN framework convention on climate change and criteria for how the process would proceed, the minister said. “After we have criteria, a management framework can be developed; after we have a plan, and create safeguards to be able to build confidence in the system, I am confident that with these components we can transform positive concepts into actions that are more defined, and more concrete.”

There is no guarantee that a proposal to start drawing up a roadmap would be accepted at the conference, even if it may not need the formal approval of the summit, which proceeds by unanimous agreement and can be disrupted by special interests. Climate experts have suggested they think there could be backing for such a idea from about 60 nations, but there are believed to be at least forty against. There are 195 nations participating at the negotiations.

“Despite being the primary source of global warming, carbon-based energy are about the most divisive topic there is within the UN negotiations, so to see a chunky group of countries publicly backing a route to achieving global transition is in itself highly significant.”

“In simple terms, there’s no path to a world where warming stays below 1.5 degrees in which countries cannot to discuss ending fossil fuel use.”

“We need this language for actual in this discussion. It’s quite stupid that we discuss everything but that when fossil fuels are the actual challenge.”

Negotiations carried on on the weekend on several outstanding topics that have not yet been included into the official agenda: commerce, openness, finance and how to tackle the gap between the carbon reduction nations have planned and those required to keep to the 1.5C temperature target.

The COP30 president promised a “document” that would cover these matters, after discussions – which have been going on since the start of the week – were unresolved. He urged nations to embrace the “mutirão” spirit, meaning one of cooperation and constructive discussion.

Progress on additional key issues – such as adjustment to the effects of the climate emergency, the just transition for those affected by the move to a green economic system and how to build governance capabilities in developing countries – proceeded productively, the host reported.

Brazil’s chief negotiator stated the technical phase of the COP process was nearing completion, and the political stage – when ministers who have the power to alter their nations' positions join – was beginning.