Brazil's environment minister Marina Silva is urging countries at the ongoing COP30 climate summit in Brazil to show courage in addressing the need for a fossil fuel phaseout. She views drafting such a roadmap as an "ethical" response to the climate crisis, which is a contentious issue among nations.
The initiative aims to create a voluntary and self-determined process for governments willing to participate. However, the lack of a clear timeline and technical feasibility have led to concerns about its practicality. According to Silva, this map does not force any country or economy to abandon fossil fuels but rather provides an opportunity for countries that want to transition away from them.
The proposal has sparked both support and opposition among countries. Panama's climate negotiator Juan Carlos Monterrey believes that discussing fossil fuel phaseout is crucial, saying it is "quite stupid" that nations focus on other issues while ignoring the root cause of climate change.
However, some petrostates have expressed skepticism about the initiative, with their reliance on oil and gas exports making them hesitant to discuss a transition. As a result, Brazil has been working behind the scenes to ensure the pledge can be discussed at the summit outside the formal agenda.
Brazil's president, Luis Inácio Lula da Silva, has publicly referenced his country's need to "move away from dependence on fossil fuels." Marina Silva is hopeful that with courage and dialogue among nations, it will be possible to create a clearer and more concrete strategy for achieving this goal.
The initiative aims to create a voluntary and self-determined process for governments willing to participate. However, the lack of a clear timeline and technical feasibility have led to concerns about its practicality. According to Silva, this map does not force any country or economy to abandon fossil fuels but rather provides an opportunity for countries that want to transition away from them.
The proposal has sparked both support and opposition among countries. Panama's climate negotiator Juan Carlos Monterrey believes that discussing fossil fuel phaseout is crucial, saying it is "quite stupid" that nations focus on other issues while ignoring the root cause of climate change.
However, some petrostates have expressed skepticism about the initiative, with their reliance on oil and gas exports making them hesitant to discuss a transition. As a result, Brazil has been working behind the scenes to ensure the pledge can be discussed at the summit outside the formal agenda.
Brazil's president, Luis Inácio Lula da Silva, has publicly referenced his country's need to "move away from dependence on fossil fuels." Marina Silva is hopeful that with courage and dialogue among nations, it will be possible to create a clearer and more concrete strategy for achieving this goal.
! I mean, we know climate change is real and it's killing us, but still, some countries are like "meh, let's just keep on keeping on" 
. It's crazy that there's a lack of a clear timeline for this phaseout initiative - what if we wait too long? 
We need to take bold action now and support each other in making the switch to renewable energy sources 
. I'm loving Marina Silva's optimism, but let's not forget that it's gonna take some serious courage from our leaders to make this happen 
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I'm not convinced about this initiative. How can we just agree to phase out fossil fuels without a clear plan or timeline? 
What's the guarantee that countries will actually follow through on their commitments? We've seen promises made at these climate summits before, but what's the real progress? 
And what about the economic implications of such a transition? How will it affect industries that rely heavily on fossil fuels? 
Let's hear from experts and see some hard data before we start making big promises! 
... just think about all those petrostates not wanting to give up their oil & gas exports lol... like what are they even waiting for? 
Marina Silva's initiative might be a step in the right direction but it's gonna take a lot more than just courage from nations to make a real difference 
. I mean, we've known about climate change for decades now, and yet we're still stuck in the past when it comes to transitioning to cleaner energy sources 
️. Its great that Marina Silva is pushing for a voluntary roadmap, but we need more concrete action from our leaders ASAP 
. And yeah, its frustrating that some countries are being skeptical about this whole thing - can't they see how important it is for the future of our planet? 
like the world's gonna end if we don't stop using fossil fuels... I get it, it's a big deal, but can't we just chill and have a calm conversation about it? 
instead of making grand plans that might not even work out. And what's with all these countries being like "oh, we're too attached to oil" 
like that's the only thing that matters in life? I mean, there are more important things than just generating revenue from burning stuff. Can't they see the bigger picture? 
Marina Silva is right, it's time for countries to show some courage and work together to tackle climate change 
. It's not about forcing anyone to abandon fossil fuels, but rather providing a roadmap for those who want to make a change 
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. Let's hope this initiative can create some concrete progress and inspire other countries to join in on the conversation 
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. I mean, think about it, some countries are already relying on fossil fuels as their main source of income... it's like they can't imagine a different future 
. But I guess that's the beauty of this initiative - it doesn't force anyone to give up their fossil fuel dependence overnight, but gives them a chance to take things one step at a time 
. You need a plan, and that's what Marina is trying to offer. Let's hope some of those countries are willing to take the courage to make a change 
. We need countries like Panama pushing for change, but also we need countries with fossil fuel interests to come around eventually... it's all about finding that balance 
. I mean, I'm all for reducing our carbon footprint and all, but let's not pretend like this is going to be easy or quick 
. What about the economic impact on those countries? Are we really willing to sacrifice their economies just to save the planet? 
And what's with the whole "move away from dependence on fossil fuels" thing? Is that like a totally new goal or are they just trying to sound good? 
I think its crazy that some countries are even debating whether or not they should stop using fossil fuels 
Panama's negotiator sounds like a total hero for speaking up and calling out other nations on this, and Brazil's president Lula is all over it too 
. And I'm glad President Lula da Silva is on board with moving away from fossil fuels - it shows leadership and vision 
. We've been talking about this phaseout of fossil fuels for years now and it's time for some real concrete steps 
. Petrostates just don't seem interested in letting go of their oil and gas cash cow 
. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Brazil can get some real progress at this summit 
. Drafting a roadmap for phaseout without clear timelines and technical feasibility is kinda like trying to plan a road trip without knowing where you're headed or how long it'll take. It's just not gonna work 
I'm so tired of hearing people say "it's not a priority" or "we need to focus on economic growth"... like, what's more important than our planet's survival?!