Brazil on 3 November released the world's first global roadmap for phasing out fossil fuels, a voluntary plan urging countries to start planning their exit from coal, oil and gas before the torch passes to Türkiye and Australia next week.
The roadmap proposes a "collective agenda" in three phases, from 2028 to 2033, during which countries should draw up plans and transform their energy systems. It acknowledges "there is no unique solution for this complex puzzle" and suggests countries tailor measures suited to their circumstances.
The plan is the final item on the agenda for Brazil's COP30 presidency, whose 2025 summit in the Amazon city of Belem ended without explicit mention of fossil fuels after resistance from major oil producers such as Saudi Arabia and Russia. It follows the nearly 200-nation COP28 agreement in Dubai in 2023 that called for “transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems”. Brazil has also published a roadmap on halting deforestation by 2030.
The document says countries differ in how fast they can move and in the support they need, but that every country gains from immediately planning its transition. “Taken together, the evidence and analysis in this Roadmap lead the COP30 Presidency to a clear conclusion that transitioning away from fossil fuels is urgent, inevitable and yet possible,” the text says. It says current policies and announced plans “still leave the world short of the energy outcomes agreed in Dubai”.
"The transition is inevitable, so start planning now and as soon as possible, because this will be good for your country, for your society, for your economy," COP30 chief executive Ana Toni told a media briefing.
Attention now turns to COP31, which begins on Monday 9 November in the Turkish Mediterranean resort of Antalya. COP31 president Türkiye and Australia, which is steering the negotiations, are championing a voluntary programme aimed at boosting "electrification" in efforts to cut emissions. Critics have warned the text fails to specify the energy source, meaning electrification could be used as a guise for fossil fuel expansion rather than being powered by clean renewables.
Toni said the fossil fuel roadmap would be discussed in Antalya on 10 November, but Brazilian officials stressed the initiative is a call to action, not a document to be negotiated at COP31. "We are not suggesting negotiations," said COP30 president Andre Correa do Lago. "Everyone can start to act now," he said, noting that the knowledge and technology are already available. "The agreements already exist. What's important is to implement them."
Climate campaigners welcomed the Brazilian initiatives. "The roadmap must not end up as just another report gathering dust on a shelf," said Fanny Petitbon, a policy analyst at grassroots climate organisation 350.org. "COP31 must be the moment when governments take this work forward, with clear commitments, timelines and the resources to deliver a fair and orderly exit from coal, oil and gas," Petitbon said.
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12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
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- SupportedBrazil released the world's first global roadmap for phasing out fossil fuels.Euronews: “Brazil has released the world's first global roadmap for phasing out fossil fuels.”
- SupportedThe plan is voluntary, a final initiative of Brazil's COP30 presidency, and urges countries to start planning now.Euronews: “Countries have been urged to start planning now for the 'urgent, inevitable' – yet voluntary – phaseout of coal, oil and gas. The voluntary plan was the final item on the agenda for last year's UN COP climate summit host”
- SupportedThe roadmap was released on 3 November.Euronews: “the text released on 3 November said.”
- SupportedThe roadmap says, “there is no unique solution for this complex puzzle”.Euronews: “The document, however, acknowledged that "there is no unique solution for this complex puzzle"”
- SupportedThe roadmap proposes a “collective agenda” in three phases from 2028 to 2033.Euronews: “The roadmap proposes a "collective agenda" in three phases, from 2028 to 2033”
- SupportedThe roadmap says its conclusion is that transitioning away from fossil fuels is “urgent, inevitable and yet possible”.Euronews: “"Taken together, the evidence and analysis in this Roadmap lead the COP30 Presidency to a clear conclusion that transitioning away from fossil fuels is urgent, inevitable and yet possible," the text released on 3 November said.”
- SupportedAna Toni said: “The transition is inevitable, so start planning now and as soon as possible, because this will be good for your country, for your society, for your economy”.Euronews: “"The transition is inevitable, so start planning now and as soon as possible, because this will be good for your country, for your society, for your economy," COP30 chief executive Ana Toni said in a media briefing.”
- SupportedCOP31 begins on Monday 9 November in Antalya.Euronews: “the two-week COP31 conference, which begins on Monday 9 November in Turkish Mediterranean resort Antalya.”
- SupportedCritics warned that the text does not specify the energy source, so electrification could be used as a guise for fossil fuel expansion rather than clean renewables.Euronews: “critics have warned that the text fails to specify the energy source, meaning electrification could be used as a guise for fossil fuel expansion rather than being powered by clean renewables.”
- SupportedToni said the roadmap would be discussed in Antalya on 10 November, while Brazilian officials said it was a call to action, not a document to negotiate at COP31.Euronews: “While Toni said the fossil fuel roadmap would be discussed in Antalya on 10 November, Brazilian officials stressed that their initiative was a call to action, not a document to be negotiated at COP31.”
- SupportedAndre Correa do Lago said, “We are not suggesting negotiations”.Euronews: “"We are not suggesting negotiations," COP30 president Andre Correa do Lago said.”
- SupportedFanny Petitbon said the roadmap must not become “just another report gathering dust on a shelf”.Euronews: “"The roadmap must not end up as just another report gathering dust on a shelf," said Fanny Petitbon, a policy analyst at grassroots climate organisation 350.org.”