🔗 Share this article

Brazil’s climate chief, Marina Silva, has called on all nations to demonstrate the courage needed to confront the necessity of a worldwide fossil fuel phaseout, describing the development of a detailed plan as an “ethical” answer to the global warming emergency.

The minister stressed, though, that participation in this process would be optional and “independently decided” for interested nations.

This issue stands as one of the most debated matters at the UN climate summit in the host country, with nations split over if and how such a strategy can be addressed. As the host, the nation has adopted a balanced position on what can be placed on the official agenda.

Silva expressed approval for the potential of a plan, without explicitly pledging the country to it. She stated: “When we have a situation that is quite grim, it is good that we have a map. But the map does not compel us to proceed, or to climb.”

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

Dozens of nations gathered in the host city for the UN climate summit, which is entering its second week, are seeking to establish how a worldwide transition of oil, gas, and coal could work. They aim to build on a historic resolution made two years ago at COP28 to “transition away from fossil fuels.”

The pledge lacked a schedule or details on how it could be achieved, and even though it was adopted by all, several countries have later attempted to disavow the pledge. Efforts last year to elaborate on its practical meaning were stymied by resistance from oil-dependent nations at COP29.

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

For these reasons, Brazil has been wary of calls by some nations to include the phaseout on the schedule for COP30. But Silva has strived behind the scenes to ensure the topic could be talked about at the summit outside the official agenda.

The minister convinced the nation's president, who made public reference three times to the need to “move away from reliance on fossil fuels” at the global leaders' meeting that preceded the conference, and at the opening of the event.

“This 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 root,” Marina Silva said. “We recognise that it is challenging, and we must not offer unrealistic expectations. Bringing up the topic is courageous, and I hope [to see] this courage from everyone, from producers and consumers.”

The nation had not initiated the push for a phaseout, the minister said, because that had been done at the earlier summit. Instead, it was enabling the talks to take place in line with what some nations wished. “We understand 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 detailed plan, a process Silva said could take a number of years because many countries faced complex challenges around reliance on fossil fuels, or wanted to use the proceeds from selling oil and gas to fund their development.

“Brazil raises the topic, because Brazil is both a producer and user,” the minister noted. “But the nation is different, because it, if it chooses to, does not have to depend on non-renewables. We have to understand that there are certain nations that rely on carbon energy in their economic systems and lack easy solutions, and some where oil and gas are the basis of their economic structure.

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

If the proposal gains sufficient support, COP30 could establish a forum in which the work of drawing up a strategy to the phaseout could start.

The endeavor would require discussions with all signatory countries to the UN climate treaty and guidelines for how the initiative would proceed, Silva explained. “Once we have standards, a management framework can be developed; after we have a strategy, and create protections to be able to build confidence in the system, I am confident that with these components we can turn good ideas into steps that are more defined, and more concrete.”

There is no guarantee that a proposal to begin developing a plan would be accepted at the conference, even if it does not require the formal approval of the conference, which proceeds by unanimous agreement and can be hijacked by special interests. Climate analysts have indicated they think there could be support for such a idea from about sixty countries, but there are believed to be at least forty against. There are one hundred ninety-five nations participating at the talks.

“In spite of being the root cause of climate change, fossil fuels are about the most divisive topic there is within the UN negotiations, so to see a chunky group of countries openly backing a path to realizing global transition is in itself pretty groundbreaking.”

“Put simply, there’s no path to a planet where temperature rise stays below 1.5 degrees in which nations aren’t able to talk about ending fossil fuel use.”

“We need this language for real in this conversation. It’s quite stupid that we talk about everything but then when the main issue are the actual challenge.”

Discussions carried on on Saturday on several unresolved topics that have still not been incorporated into the formal agenda: commerce, transparency, funding and how to tackle the gap between the carbon reduction countries have proposed and those needed to hold to the 1.5-degree warming limit.

The COP30 president promised a “note” that would cover these issues, after consultations – which have been underway since the start of the week – were inconclusive. The official urged nations to embrace the “mutirão” spirit, referring to one of cooperation and positive dialogue.

Work on additional substantive topics – including adjustment to the effects of the climate emergency, the just transition for those affected by the move to a low-carbon economic system and how to strengthen institutional capacity in less developed nations – proceeded productively, the presidency said.

Brazil’s lead representative said the detailed phase of the summit process was nearing the end, and the high-level stage – when ministers who have the power to alter their nations' positions join – was starting.