TWN Info Service on Climate Change (Sept13/04)
24 September 2013
Third World Network  

Dear friends and colleagues,

Joint-Statement of BASIC from 16th Ministerial meeting on climate change in Brazil

The Ministers and their representatives from the BASIC countries (Brazil, South Africa, India and China), met from 15-16 September in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil. A joint-statement was issued at the conclusion of the meeting which was made available to Third World Network.

The full statement is reproduced below.

With best wishes
Third World Network

Joint statement issued at the conclusion of the

 16th BASIC Ministerial meeting on climate change

Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil

September 15^th and 16^th 2013

1.    The 16th BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change was held in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, on 15th and 16th September 2013. The meeting was attended by H.E. Ms. Izabella Teixeira, Minister for the Environment of Brazil, H.E. Mr. Eduardo dos Santos, acting Minister of External Relations of Brazil, H.E. Mr. Xie Zhenhua, Vice Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission of China, H.E. Ms. Edna Molewa, Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs of South Africa, and H.E. Dr. V. Rajagopalan, Secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Forests of India. In line with the “BASIC-plus” approach, Argentina, Fiji (Chair of the G-77 & China), Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela were also represented at the meeting.

2.    Ministers declared their full commitment to a successful outcome of the Warsaw Climate Conference and pledged their support to the Government of Poland towards achieving a comprehensive and balanced result in Warsaw, in an open and transparent, inclusive and party-driven process.

3.     Ministers reaffirmed that the process and outcome of the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP) should be guided by and be in full accordance with all principles and provisions of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
 
4.    Ministers underscored the need for a balanced approach between all pillars of the Durban Platform – mitigation, adaptation, finance, capacity-building, technology development and transfer, transparency of action and support. In this regard, they underscored that an ambitious outcome of the ADP should not rely solely on mitigation, but should also address the other pillars in a balanced and comprehensive manner.
 
5.     Ministers committed to contribute to a fair and effective result of the ADP Workstream 1. They considered that fairness and effectiveness will be only achieved by upholding the principles of equity and of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, as enshrined in Article 3.1 of the Convention. In this context, they emphasized the need for commitments by all countries, and enhanced action on all the pillars of the Durban Platform. They recalled again that responsibility for climate change, as contemplated in the Convention, rests on all countries, differentiated according to the extent to which they have contributed historically to the urgent problem which we now face, taking into account national circumstances, capabilities, population, development needs, in the context of equitable access to sustainable development.
 
6.    Ministers agreed that the ADP negotiations should focus on the provisions to be included in a protocol, another legal instrument or agreed outcome with legal force under the Convention. Ministers considered that such provisions should be in full accordance with the principles and the structure of the Convention.
 
7.    Ministers considered it is important for the Warsaw Climate Conference to encourage Parties to engage in domestic consultations and preparations, in the context of the ADP negotiations.

8.    Ministers considered that enhanced ambition by Annex-I countries should not be contingent upon the adoption or recognition of any market-based approaches.

9.    With regard to the ADP Workstream 2, Ministers stressed that the pre-2020 ambition gap shall be primarily addressed through the implementation of the 2nd commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol and the outcome of the Bali Action Plan. Ministers reiterated their concern with the inadequacy of developed countries’ current commitments on emission reductions and provision of financial and technological support. Ministers noted that ensuring increased financial, technological and capacity-building support from developed countries for mitigation and adaptation actions by non-Annex I Parties is essential for enhancing the short-term capacity of developing countries to contribute to the global fight against climate change.

10.    Ministers called for the expeditious ratification of the amendments to the Kyoto Protocol establishing the second commitment period, emphasized the importance of revisiting and then increasing ambition of QELROs in 2014, and raising the ambition of the comparable pledges in the same timeframe by Annex I Parties not participating in the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol.

11.    Ministers reiterated the need for full implementation of previous COP/CMP decisions, including through addressing the pre-2020 finance gap and defining a clear pathway to reaching the goal of providing US$ 100 billion per annum by 2020. Ministers underscored the importance of an early and substantive operationalization and capitalization of the Green Climate Fund.

12.    Ministers highlighted the critical issue of provision of adequate and predictable support by developed countries for the implementation of REDD-plus activities (paragraphs 70 and 71, decision 1/ CP. 16), including enhanced coordination of financial support. They called on all parties to the UNFCCC to reach an agreement during COP-19 on results-based payments  to developing countries implementing REDD-plus activities, including the conservation and enhancement of carbon stocks. Ministers underlined the imperative that REDD-plus ensures environmental integrity and, in this regard, stressed that results-based payments shall not be used to offset mitigation commitments by Annex I countries.

13.    Ministers reaffirmed the importance of multilateralism, science and equity in addressing climate change in accordance with the principles and provisions of the Convention, and expressed their concern over measures that attempt to circumvent the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. In this regard, they reiterated that the discussion on Market-Based Measures at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), including those measures undertaken within national jurisdictions, should be fully compatible with the principles enshrined in UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol, and should be based on mutual agreement and voluntary participation. Ministers further reiterated their strong opposition to any unilateral measures on international civil aviation, as well as any similar intentions in other sectors.

14.    Ministers agreed that hydrofluorocarbons (HFC) should be dealt with through relevant multilateral fora, guided by the principles and provisions of UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol.  The availability of safe and technically and economically viable alternatives and the provision of additional financial resources by developed countries should also be taken into account.
 
15.    Ministers reaffirmed the commitment of BASIC countries to the unity of G-77 and China and voiced their support for further strengthening developing countries positions at UNFCCC negotiations through the G-77 and China.

16.    Ministers welcomed the offer by China to host the 17th BASIC Ministerial Meeting in the fourth quarter of 2013.