The climate chief, Marina Silva, has urged all nations to demonstrate the courage needed to confront the necessity of a worldwide transition away from fossil fuels, labeling the development of a detailed plan as an “ethical” response to the climate crisis.
The minister emphasized, however, that involvement in this process would be voluntary and “independently decided” for interested nations.
This issue stands as one of the most contentious subjects at the UN climate summit in Brazil, with nations split over whether and how such a strategy can be discussed. As the host, Brazil has maintained a carefully neutral position on which items can be included on the formal schedule.
The official expressed approval for the possibility of a roadmap, without explicitly committing Brazil to it. She remarked: “In times we have a situation that is quite grim, it is helpful that we have a guide. But the guide does not force us to proceed, or to climb.”
In an interview, the minister added: “The roadmap is an response to our scientific knowledge [of the climate crisis]. It is an ethical answer.”
Scores of nations gathered in the host city for the UN climate summit, which is entering its second week, are seeking to determine how a worldwide phaseout of fossil fuels could work. These nations hope to build on a historic agreement made two years ago at a previous UN summit to “transition away from non-renewable energy sources.”
That commitment had no a schedule or specifics on how it could be achieved, and even though it was adopted unanimously, some nations have since attempted to back away from the promise. Attempts last year to elaborate on its practical implications were stymied by resistance from oil-dependent nations at another UN summit.
As a result, there was no reference of the transition away from fossil fuels in the outcome of that conference.
Because of this, Brazil has been wary of demands by certain nations to place the transition on the agenda for COP30. But Silva has strived in private to ensure the topic could be talked about at the conference outside the official program.
She won over Brazil’s president, who gave mention three times to the need to “shift from reliance on traditional energy” at the global leaders' meeting that came before the conference, and at the opening of the event.
“The issue is something that we understand at a certain time had to be put forward, because it is the sole way to address the issue from the source,” the minister explained. “We recognise that it is challenging, and we cannot offer false hopes. Bringing up the topic is courageous, and I hope [to see] this bravery from all, from producers and consumers.”
Brazil had not started the push for a phaseout, the minister said, because that had been done at the earlier summit. Rather, it was allowing the talks to occur in accordance with what some countries wished. “We know these topics are sensitive. We will provide the opportunity to talk about it,” the minister added.
There is not enough time at COP30 to draw up a roadmap, a task the minister said could take several years because numerous nations faced complicated challenges around reliance on fossil fuels, or wanted to use the proceeds from exporting oil and gas to finance their economic growth.
“The country brings up the subject, because it is both a producer and consumer,” the minister said. “But the nation is different, because it, if it wants to, does not have to depend on non-renewables. We have to recognise that there are certain nations that rely on fossil fuels in their economies and lack simple solutions, and others where fossil fuels are the foundation of their economy.
“To be just is to be just to everyone, but the fundamental, primordial fairness is not being unfair to the Earth, because it is our home.”
If the proposal gains enough backing, the summit could set up a forum in which the work of drawing up a strategy to the transition could begin.
This endeavor would require dialogue with every participating countries to the UN climate treaty and criteria for how the initiative would proceed, the minister explained. “Once we have standards, a governance structure can be developed; after we have a plan, and establish safeguards to be able to build confidence in the system, I believe that with these components we can turn positive concepts into steps that are clearer, and more concrete.”
There is no guarantee that a proposal to begin drawing up a roadmap would win approval at COP30, although it may not need the official approval of the conference, 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 sixty countries, but there are believed to be at least 40 against. A total of 195 countries 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 sizable group of countries openly supporting a path to achieving worldwide phaseout is in itself pretty groundbreaking.”
“In simple terms, there’s no path to a planet where temperature rise stays below 1.5C in which nations cannot to discuss fossil fuel phaseout.”
“We need this language for actual in this conversation. It’s quite stupid that we talk about everything but that when fossil fuels are the actual problem.”
Discussions continued on the weekend on several outstanding issues that have not yet been included into the official schedule: commerce, openness, funding and how to tackle the gap between the emissions cuts nations have planned and those needed to hold to the 1.5-degree temperature limit.
A COP30 chair promised a “note” that would address these issues, after consultations – which have been underway since the start of the week – were inconclusive. He called on nations to adopt the “mutirão” spirit, meaning one of cooperation and constructive discussion.
Progress on additional key topics – including adaptation to the effects of the climate emergency, the fair shift for those impacted by the move to a green economy and how to strengthen governance capabilities in developing countries – proceeded productively, the presidency said.
Brazil’s chief negotiator stated the detailed part of the summit proceedings was approaching the end, and the political phase – when government leaders who have the power to change their countries’ positions arrive – was beginning.
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