Brazilian Minister Calls for Boldness to Develop Fossil Energy Phase-out Roadmap at COP30

The climate chief, the minister, has called on every country to demonstrate the courage needed to address the imperative of a global transition away from fossil fuels, describing the creation of a detailed plan as an “ethical” response to the global warming emergency.

The minister stressed, however, that involvement in this endeavor would be optional and “independently decided” for willing governments.

The topic remains one of the most debated subjects at the UN climate summit in the host country, with countries split over if and how such a strategy can be addressed. As the host, Brazil has adopted a balanced position on which items can be included on the formal agenda.

The official expressed support for the possibility of a roadmap, without explicitly pledging Brazil to it. The minister remarked: “In times we have a terrain that is quite grim, it is good that we have a map. But the map does not force us to proceed, or to advance.”

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

Scores of countries gathered in the host city for the global climate conference, which is entering its next phase, are aiming to determine how a global phaseout of fossil fuels could work. They aim to build on a landmark agreement reached two years ago at COP28 to “move away from non-renewable energy sources.”

That commitment lacked a schedule or specifics on the way it could be achieved, and even though it was passed unanimously, several nations have later tried to disavow the pledge. Attempts last year to elaborate on its real-world meaning were blocked by resistance from oil-dependent nations at another UN summit.

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

For these reasons, the host has been wary of calls by certain countries to include the phaseout on the schedule for the current summit. But the minister has strived in private to make sure the pledge could be discussed at the conference apart from the official agenda.

She convinced the nation's president, and he gave mention repeatedly to the need to “move away from reliance on traditional energy” at the global leaders' meeting that came before the conference, and at the start of the summit.

“This is something that we understand at some point had to be raised, because it is the only way to address the issue from the source,” the minister explained. “We acknowledge that it is challenging, and we must not sell false hopes. Raising the topic is brave, and I wish [to see] this courage from all, from producers and using countries.”

The nation had not started the push for a phaseout, 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 some nations desired. “We know these subjects are sensitive. We will give the opportunity to talk about it,” the minister said.

Time is insufficient at COP30 to draw up a roadmap, a process Silva said could take several years because numerous countries faced complicated challenges around reliance on fossil fuels, or aimed to use the revenue from exporting oil and gas to finance their economic growth.

“Brazil raises the topic, because Brazil is simultaneously a producing nation and user,” she said. “But Brazil is different, because Brazil, if it wants to, does not have to depend on fossil fuels. We have to recognise that there are some that rely on carbon energy in their economic systems and lack simple solutions, and others where oil and gas are the basis of their economy.

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

If the pledge receives enough support, COP30 could set up a forum in which the work of creating a roadmap to the transition could start.

This process would involve dialogue with all participating nations to the UN climate treaty and guidelines for how the initiative would proceed, Silva explained. “Once we have standards, a governance structure can be developed; once we have a plan, and establish protections to be able to build trust in the system, I believe that with these elements we can transform good ideas into actions that are clearer, and more concrete.”

It is uncertain that a proposal to begin drawing up a plan would be accepted at COP30, although it does not require the formal consent of the summit, which operates by unanimous agreement and can be hijacked by particular groups. COP analysts have suggested they believe there could be backing for such a idea from about 60 countries, but there are believed to be at least 40 against. A total of one hundred ninety-five countries represented at the negotiations.

“In spite of being the root cause of climate change, carbon-based energy are about the most divisive topic there is within the UN negotiations, so to see a sizable coalition of nations publicly supporting a route to achieving global transition is in itself pretty groundbreaking.”

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

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

Negotiations continued on Saturday on several outstanding issues that have still not been incorporated into the formal schedule: trade, transparency, funding and how to address the gap between the emissions cuts countries have planned and those required to hold to the 1.5-degree temperature limit.

A summit chair promised a “note” that would cover these matters, after discussions – which have been underway since Monday – were unresolved. The official urged nations to embrace the “mutirão” spirit, referring to one of cooperation and positive discussion.

Work on other substantive issues – including adaptation to the impacts of the climate emergency, the fair shift for those impacted by the transition to a low-carbon economic system and how to strengthen institutional capacity in developing countries – proceeded productively, the host reported.

The host nation's lead representative said the technical part of the summit process was approaching the end, and the high-level phase – when ministers who have the authority to alter their countries’ positions join – was beginning.