Brazilian Environment Minister Urges Courage to Create Fossil Energy Phaseout Roadmap at COP30

Brazil’s environment minister, Marina Silva, has urged all nations to demonstrate the courage needed to address the imperative of a global fossil fuel phaseout, labeling the development of a roadmap as an “ethical” response to the climate crisis.

She emphasized, however, that involvement in this process would be voluntary and “self-determined” for interested nations.

This issue stands as one of the most contentious subjects at the UN climate summit in the host country, with nations divided over whether and how such a strategy can be addressed. Hosting the event, Brazil has maintained a carefully neutral stance on what can be included on the official agenda.

The official voiced support for the potential of a plan, though not explicitly committing the country to it. She stated: “When we have a terrain that is quite grim, it is helpful that we have a guide. But the guide does not compel us to travel, or to advance.”

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

Scores of countries gathered in the host city for the UN climate summit, which is entering its second week, are seeking to establish how a global phaseout of fossil fuels could work. They aim to build on a historic agreement reached two years ago at a previous UN summit to “move away from non-renewable energy sources.”

The pledge had no a timetable or specifics on the way it could be achieved, and although it was adopted unanimously, several nations have later attempted to back away from the promise. Attempts last year to expand on its practical implications were blocked by resistance from oil-dependent nations at another UN summit.

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

For these reasons, Brazil has been wary of demands by some countries to include the phaseout on the agenda for COP30. But the minister has worked hard in private to make sure the topic could be talked about at the conference apart from the official agenda.

The minister convinced the nation's president, and he made public reference repeatedly to the need to “shift from reliance on traditional energy” at the summit of world leaders that came before COP30, and at the start of the summit.

“The issue is a matter that we know at a certain time had to be put forward, because it is the sole way to address the issue from the root,” the minister said. “We acknowledge that it is not easy, and we must not offer false hopes. Bringing up the subject is courageous, and I hope [to see] this courage from all, from producers and consumers.”

Brazil had not initiated the push for a transition, the minister said, because that had been done at the earlier summit. Instead, it was allowing the talks to take place in accordance with what certain countries desired. “We know these topics are delicate. We will give the opportunity to discuss it,” she said.

There is not enough time at COP30 to draw up a roadmap, a task Silva said could take a number of years because numerous countries confronted complicated issues around dependence on fossil fuels, or aimed to use the proceeds from selling fossil fuels to finance their development.

“Brazil raises the subject, because Brazil is simultaneously a producer and consumer,” the minister noted. “But Brazil is unique, because Brazil, if it wants to, need not depend on non-renewables. We have to recognise that there are certain nations that depend on fossil fuels in their economies and lack simple solutions, and others where fossil fuels are the basis of their economic structure.

“To be just is to be just to everyone, but the fundamental, basic justice is not being unjust to the planet, because it is our home.”

If the pledge gains sufficient backing, the summit could set up a platform in which the work of creating a roadmap to the phaseout could begin.

This process would require dialogue with every participating countries to the UN climate treaty and criteria for how the process would unfold, Silva explained. “After we have criteria, a management framework can be developed; once we have a plan, and establish safeguards to be able to build trust in the process, I believe that with these components we can transform good ideas into actions that are more defined, and more concrete.”

It is uncertain that a suggestion to start drawing up a plan would be accepted at COP30, even if it may not need the official consent of the summit, which proceeds by consensus and can be disrupted by special interests. Climate analysts have suggested they think there could be backing for such a proposal from about sixty nations, but there are thought to be at least forty opposed. A total of 195 nations represented at the talks.

“Despite being the root cause of climate change, carbon-based energy are about the most divisive subject there is within the international climate talks, so to see a sizable coalition of nations openly backing a route to realizing worldwide phaseout is in itself highly significant.”

“Put simply, there’s no path to a world where temperature rise stays below 1.5C in which countries cannot to discuss ending fossil fuel use.”

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

Negotiations continued on the weekend on several unresolved issues that have still not been incorporated into the formal agenda: commerce, openness, funding and how to tackle the gap between the carbon reduction countries have proposed and those required to keep to the 1.5C warming target.

The COP30 president promised a “note” that would cover these issues, after discussions – which have been going on since Monday – were inconclusive. The official called on countries to adopt the “mutirão” attitude, referring to one of cooperation and constructive discussion.

Work on other key issues – including adaptation to the impacts of the climate crisis, the just transition for those affected by the move to a low-carbon economic system and how to build governance capabilities in developing countries – proceeded constructively, the host said.

The host nation's chief negotiator stated the detailed phase of the COP proceedings was nearing completion, and the political phase – when government leaders who have the power to change their nations' positions arrive – was starting.