Civil society groups are pressing the COP30 Presidency to turn its proposed fossil fuel transition roadmap into a politically grounded, inclusive process, warning that without strong ownership and accountability it risks becoming another climate document with little real-world impact.
In an open letter addressed to André Corrêa do Lago, the COP30 President, 114 civil society organisations from across the world urged the Brazilian presidency to ensure that the roadmap to transition away from fossil fuels moves beyond technical design and becomes a durable political platform capable of shaping national and international decision-making. The intervention comes as countries face intensifying climate impacts, volatile energy markets and growing pressure to demonstrate credible pathways away from coal, oil and gas.
The letter follows the Presidency’s Twelfth Letter, released in late January, which framed COP30 as a turning point from decades of negotiation toward accelerated implementation. In that communication, the Presidency committed to developing roadmaps to phase out fossil fuels and halt deforestation, positioning them as instruments for long-term planning, financial stability and orderly structural transition rather than moral or symbolic gestures.
Civil society groups welcomed the initiative but warned that ambition alone would not guarantee relevance. Without meaningful participation by communities most affected by climate change and fossil fuel extraction, they argue, the roadmap risks being shaped primarily by technocratic and market interests, rather than social and developmental realities.
The signatories, spanning climate justice groups, Indigenous organisations, faith-based networks and human rights advocates, stressed that a managed decline of fossil fuel production and consumption is no longer only a climate imperative, but an economic and geopolitical necessity. Continued dependence on fossil fuels, they said, exposes countries to price shocks, supply disruptions and political coercion, undermining long-term development planning.
The letter was coordinated by 350.org and Brazil-based network Observatório do Clima, both of which have played prominent roles in pushing for fossil fuel phase-out commitments within the UN climate process.
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“This roadmap is a critical opportunity to translate global commitments into credible action, rather than another document that sits on a shelf,” said Andreas Sieber, Head of Political Strategy at 350.org. He argued that the early months of 2026 had already demonstrated the risks of continued exposure to fossil fuel volatility, reinforcing the case for a planned and just transition that delivers affordable energy while reducing systemic risk.
At the centre of civil society concerns is governance. The groups argue that the roadmap must be co-created, transparent and protected from capture by vested fossil fuel interests. They are calling for strict safeguards around industry influence, strong human-rights protections, and sustained political leadership at ministerial level, rather than a process driven solely by technical experts or consultants.
They also emphasised the importance of equity. Developed countries, the letter argues, must take responsibility for leading production declines and meeting their climate finance obligations, while ensuring that workers and communities dependent on fossil fuel industries are supported through credible just transition frameworks.
For countries in Africa, the stakes are particularly high. Many economies remain exposed to fossil fuel price volatility while simultaneously facing energy access gaps, debt pressures and escalating climate impacts. A poorly designed transition, civil society groups warn, could deepen inequality and constrain development, while a well-sequenced, inclusive roadmap could help align energy planning, finance and industrial policy with long-term resilience.
Claudio Angelo, head of international policy at Observatório do Clima, warned that Brazil’s presidency alone cannot carry the process. With COP30’s term limited, he said, co-ownership by other willing countries, particularly from Latin America, the Pacific and climate-vulnerable regions, would be essential to sustaining momentum beyond 2026.
The COP30 Presidency, in its Twelfth Letter, acknowledged the limits of consensus-based multilateralism and called for a two-tier approach that preserves legitimacy while enabling faster implementation through coalitions of capable actors. It framed the fossil fuel roadmap as a planning tool to provide predictability for markets, governments and societies navigating inevitable transition.
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