Joint statement issued at the conclusion of the 19th BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change

• Final statement
• 1.The 19^th BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change was held in Sun City, South Africa, on 10 October 2014. H.E. Ms. Edna Molewa, Minister of Environmental Affairs of South Africa, H.E. Mr. Xie Zhenhua, Vice Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission of China, H.E. Mr. Ashok Lavasa, Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change of India and H.E. Ambassador José Antonio Marcondes de Carvalho, Under Secretary-General for the Environment, Energy, Science and Technology of the Ministry of External Relations of Brazil attended the meeting.
• 2.Ministers reflected on the Climate Summit convened by the Secretary-General of the United Nations on 23 September 2014 and recognised the efforts to generate the political support required for the adoption of an agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2015 and welcomed the political momentum achieved. In this regard, Ministers welcomed the announcements made by some developed countries for the initial capitalisation of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and called on other developed countries to do likewise as soon as possible, but no later than the pledging session for the initial resource mobilisation process of the fund in November 2014.
• 3.Ministers highlighted the need for enhanced ambition, noting that delivery on existing commitments in the pre-2020 period by developed Parties will contribute to the enhancement of trust and confidence indispensable for the successful conclusion of the 2015 agreement. In particular, they stressed the need for clearer indications from developed countries on meeting their commitment to provide US$100 billion in climate finance per year by 2020, and meaningful and substantial contributions to the Green Climate Fund.
• 4.Ministers emphasised that the Lima Climate Change Conference in December 2014 is an important milestone for the successful conclusion of the negotiation of the 2015 agreement, which requires the strengthening of the multilateral rules-based regime under the Convention, in order to achieve its Objective. As agreed at COP17 in Durban, the 2015 agreement should be in accordance with the principles and provisions of the Convention, in particular the principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibility and respective capabilities (CBDR&RC).
• 5.Ministers concurred that the agreement must provide an inclusive, equitable and effective framework within which Parties can put forward their contributions to keep the world on a path to limiting the increase in average global temperatures to below 2 degrees Celsius. In this regard, the agreement should allow Parties to progressively enhance their contributions, without providing for regression on existing commitments.
• 6.Ministers stressed the importance of reaching agreement in Lima on elements for a draft negotiating text for the 2015 agreement, as well as the information that they will provide when putting forward their intended nationally-determined contributions (INDCs). In this regard, Ministers reiterated that the INDCs must cover mitigation, adaptation, finance, technology development and transfer and capacity-building, in line with Parties’ respective commitments under the Convention.
• 7.Ministers expressed their conviction that adaptation needs are driven by the extent of adverse effects of climate change, experienced both now and in the future. Adaptation is an issue which requires a global response and is as important as mitigation, and all elements in paragraph 5, decision 1/CP.17 should be treated in a balanced manner in the 2015 agreement.
• 8.Ministers indicated that National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) could be the basis for Parties’ adaptation INDCs. Investment in adaptation by developing countries would represent an adaptation contribution.
• 9.Ministers are of the view that the Lima Conference of Parties must ensure adequate resource allocation to the Adaptation Fund and the adaptation window of the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
• 10.Ministers expressed their view that the Lima conference must provide clarity on how developing countries will be supported in the implementation of their contributions under the 2015 agreement, given the serious socio-economic challenges they face and their urgent efforts to eradicate poverty. The 2015 agreement must establish a clear link between the actions by developing countries to contribute to effectively addressing the climate change challenge and the scale of finance, technology and capacity-building support required by them for implementation.
• 11.In the context of the above priorities, Ministers agreed that the 2015 agreement should ensure transparency, minimise the ambition gaps, if any, and keep its implementation under review, in accordance with the principles and relevant provisions of the Convention.
• 12.Ministers concurred that the elements of the 2015 agreement should give effect to the principles of equity and CBDR&RC through implementation of provisions of the Convention that reflect Parties’ common and differentiated commitments, related to mitigation, adaptation, finance, technology transfer and capacity building.
• 13.Ministers emphasised that existing institutions and mechanisms created under the Convention should be used and further strengthened beyond 2020. They stressed that the elements of the 2015 agreement should strengthen and enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of climate action. This will be done through provisions to strengthen institutional linkages between the adaptation committee and the Technology Executive Committee with the Standing Committee on Finance with the GCF and other operating entities of the Convention’s Financial Mechanism.
• 14.Ministers reiterated their commitment to strengthen the G77 and China. They warmly welcomed South Africa as the chair of the Group of 77 and China in 2015 and pledged their full support.
• 15.Ministers expressed their full support for the Peruvian Presidency to ensure a transparent, inclusive and successful COP20 / CMP10. They committed to work proactively to ensure a successful outcome in Lima in 2014 and in Paris in 2015.
• 16.Ministers welcomed the offer by Brazil to host the 20th BASIC Ministerial Meeting in the first semester of 2015.

Source: https://www.environment.gov.za/mediarelease/19thbasic_ministerialmeeting_concluded