More than 80 countries have joined forces to demand a global roadmap for phasing out fossil fuels, marking one of the most significant interventions of COP30 so far. Nations from Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Pacific, and Europe including the UK made a joint plea for the transition away from coal, oil, and gas to be a central outcome of this year’s summit
Flanked by ministers from 20 countries, Tina Stege, climate envoy for the Marshall Islands, delivered a clear message in Belém: “Let’s get behind the idea of a fossil fuel roadmap, let’s work together and make it a plan.” Her statement reflected growing impatience among negotiators and activists alike after years of stalled progress.
Jasper Inventor, deputy programme director at Greenpeace International, hailed the move as a “turning point” for COP30, saying the call reflected “a strong signal coming from global south and global north countries on the need to phase out fossil fuels.” He added that negotiators must now “heed this call,” as the climate and the people “demand it.”
From Words to Action
The commitment to “transition away from fossil fuels” was first secured at COP28 in Dubai in 2023, but implementation has lagged. Some countries led by Saudi Arabia have since sought to weaken or reverse that resolution. Efforts to build on it faltered during COP29 in Baku, where attempts to define next steps failed to gain traction.
This year, Brazil’s COP30 presidency initially excluded the phrase “transition away from fossil fuels” from the official agenda. It was absent even from closed-door “presidency consultations” addressing the most contentious topics: finance, trade, transparency, and the inadequacy of national emissions-cutting plans (known as NDCs). But after days of frustration, dozens of nations decided to act independently, insisting that without ending fossil fuel dependence, the 1.5°C Paris target is unreachable.
Ed Miliband, the UK’s energy secretary, called the coalition’s stand “a global moment of unity,” saying, “Countries from north and south are coming together with one voice. This cannot be swept under the carpet; this must be at the heart of the conference.”
Rachel Kyte, the UK climate envoy, stressed that a roadmap would help turn the commitment made at COP28 into tangible progress: “We agreed to this before but have not yet found ways to implement it. This is the implementation of COP.”
Draft Text Sparks New Hope and Debate
In a surprising move, Brazil released a draft decision text that, for the first time, mentioned a roadmap to phase out fossil fuels. Yet some nations argued the language was still too weak and lacked measurable steps. Ralph Regenvanu, the climate minister for Vanuatu, said the proposal “needs to be more action-oriented, with measurable targets showing what this roadmap is going to look like.”
Supporters of the plan emphasised that it would not impose a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, it would recognise differing national circumstances: some countries have fossil fuel reserves they rely on for development, while others are heavy importers that need financial and technological support to make the transition.
“This is not an imposition,” said Kyte. “Every country has a transition it needs to go through. These transitions are quite different, depending on your energy mix and other factors.”
Challenges Ahead for Brazil’s Presidency
Brazil now faces the task of revising the text after further consultations with negotiating blocs. The United States remains notably absent from COP30, while opposition is expected from Saudi Arabia, Russia, Bolivia, and other oil-dependent states. Because the UN process operates by consensus, even a few dissenting countries could block a deal
Brazil’s internal politics also complicate matters. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has repeatedly called for an end to “fossil fuel dependency,” but divisions persist within his government. Some ministries and state-run energy interests continue to back oil and gas expansion, creating friction at home just as Brazil seeks to lead abroad
A Defining Moment for Global Climate Leadership
The push for a fossil fuel roadmap has reframed COP30 as more than a policy summit it has become a test of political courage. The coalition’s message is simple but profound: global temperature goals are meaningless without a clear plan to move beyond fossil fuels.
If the roadmap gains traction, it could mark the first collective step toward translating pledges into practice. But if it falters, it will underscore the same divisions that have haunted climate diplomacy for decades. As the summit enters its final stretch, the question is no longer whether the world agrees on the need to transition but whether it can agree on how.
