No Mention of Planet-Warming Fossil Fuels in COP30 Agreement

As an alternative to the absence of fossil fuels in the negotiating text, COP30 President André Corrêa do Lago said during the final plenary session that he will create a voluntary “roadmap” on transitioning away from fossil fuels in a fair, orderly, and equitable manner.

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By Cristiane Prizibisczki

The demand from around 80 developed and developing countries for an end to the use of fossil fuels –the biggest cause of climate change – was left out of the final COP30 agreement, after two intense weeks of discussions and twists and turns. A voluntary initiative by the Brazilian presidency, however, brings the world one step closer to the end of the fossil fuel era.

Even after negotiations that lasted through the night from Friday to Saturday, the group that opposed mentioning the end of fossil fuels in the final COP30 text – led by Saudi Arabia and its allies, as well as Russia – won the battle.

As an alternative to the absence of the Roadmap in the negotiating text, COP30 President André Corrêa do Lago said during the final plenary session that he will “create two roadmaps,” one on halting and reversing deforestation, and another on transitioning away from fossil fuels in a fair, orderly, and equitable manner.

“We know that some of you have higher ambitions regarding some of the issues under discussion. I know that youth and civil society will demand that we do more to combat climate change. I want to reaffirm that I will try not to disappoint you during my presidency,” he said, announcing the voluntary initiative.

Do Lago said that the construction of the roadmaps will involve the participation of both fossil fuel producing and consuming countries, industry, workers, academics, and civil society.

“We will also benefit from the first international conference on phasing out fossil fuels, scheduled to take place in April in Colombia,” he said, referring to the initiative of the government of Colombian President Gustavo Petro and 24 other nations, announced on Friday.

According to Brazilian civil society organizations, do Lago’s initiative to create the “roadmaps” so far seems very similar to what was done after the failure of COP29, held in Azerbaijan, with the “Baku-Belém Roadmap for US$1.3 trillion”.

At that time, developing countries requested a funding target of $1.3 trillion, but COP29 ended with a figure of only $300 billion. Do Lago then joined forces with the COP Presidency of Azerbaijan to propose a path for scaling up the figure to the desired amount. Although “commissioned” by the UN, this roadmap was not formally recognized or approved at COP30, and it is unclear how countries will absorb the proposals.

This appears to be the same alternative now being put on the table for the roadmap to end fossils and deforestation: a roadmap with suggestions and proposals, without formal binding value within the framework of climate negotiations.

In and Out

The inclusion of a commitment to create a roadmap for the end of fossil fuels was advocated by President Lula and members of the Brazilian government on several occasions. The COP30 Presidency attempted, until the very last moments of the negotiations, to include this topic in the final text of the “Mutirão Decision”.

The topic was mentioned – albeit timidly – in one of the drafts that circulated in recent days. However, the final COP30 document, in which the subject could have been mentioned, completely excluded it. The alternative found, then, by the COP30 Presidency, was to propose the Roadmaps as a parallel initiative to the negotiations.

Although it is a voluntary proposal, the creation of the roadmaps was celebrated by some organizations. According to André Guimarães, Executive Director of IPAM, the proposal “opens the discussion” about zero deforestation and the global mapping of countries willing to eliminate fossil fuels from their energy matrix once and for all.

“Never in the history of the 30 climate conferences has the topic been so present at the negotiating tables. By bringing together public statements from leaders of more than 80 countries, Brazil demonstrates leadership in guiding the climate debate,” he said.

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Belém Declaration

A parallel proposal for the End of Fossil Fuels circulated at COP30 during the two weeks of negotiations.

This is the “Belém Declaration on the Just Transition Away from Fossil Fuel”, an initiative led by the Colombian government and endorsed by 24 other countries, launched last Friday.

The document reaffirms the signatories’ position to “work collectively for a just, orderly and equitable transition away from fossil fuels, aligned with trajectories compatible with limiting the increase in global temperature to 1.5°C.”

Signatories include: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Cambodia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Fiji, Finland, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Micronesia, Nepal, Netherlands, Panama, Spain, Slovenia, Vanuatu, and Tuvalu.

Brazil did not sign the declaration during COP30 because it tried, until the last moment, to reach an agreement so that the issues would be included in the official COP30 texts.

In addition to publishing the declaration, the coalition of signatory countries announced the holding of the first Conference on the End of Fossils, to be held in the Colombian city of Santa Marta, on April 28-29, 2026.

Featured image: UN Climate Change/Kiara Worth via Flickr.

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This story was originally produced by ((oeco)) through the Socio-environmental Collaborative Coverage of COP30, and published with edits by Earth.Org. Read the original story here.

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