The BASIC Ministers welcomed the outcome of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20), and stressed that it reaffirmed that “Parties to the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol should protect the climate system on the basis of equity and in accordance with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.”
20 November 2012: Ministers from Brazil, South Africa, India and China (BASIC) gathered in Beijing, China, from 19-20 November 2012, for the 13th BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change.
The BASIC Ministers welcomed the outcome of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20), and stressed that it reaffirmed that “Parties to the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol should protect the climate system on the basis of equity and in accordance with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.”
Ministers also, inter alia: reiterated their support to the Government of Qatar to achieve a successful outcome by consensus in Doha in an open and transparent, inclusive and party-driven process; reaffirmed that the Kyoto Protocol remains a key component of the international climate regime and that its second commitment period is the key deliverable for Doha; reiterated that developed country Parties not committing to Quantified Emission Limitation and Reduction Objectives (QELROs) in the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol should undertake quantified emission reduction commitments under the UNFCCC that are comparable in terms of form, magnitude and compliance; emphasized the urgency to make progress in the work of AWG-LCA and bring it to a meaningful conclusion pursuant to the Bali Action Plan; underlined the importance of means of implementation for developing countries and stressed that developed country Parties should honor their commitment to provide financial, technology transfer and capacity building support to developing country Parties, and to finance the effective operationalization of the institutional mechanisms.
Furthermore, ministers: reiterated that the objective of the Durban Platform negotiations is to further strengthen the current multilateral rule-based climate regime, ensuring the full, effective and sustained implementation of the Convention after 2020; noted with grave concern the ambition gap between what developed country Parties have pledged and what is required by science and their historical responsibility; noted with consternation that the mitigation contribution by developing country Parties is much greater than that by developed country Parties; noted the intention of the EU to “stop the clock” on the implementation of the international aspects of the EU-ETS legislation by one year; and stressed the utmost importance of the unity of G-77 and China.
The BASIC countries were represented by: Xie Zhenhua, Vice Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, China; Edna Molewa, Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, South Africa; Mira Mehrishi, Additional Secretary of Ministry of Environment and Forests, India; and Andre Correa do Lago, Director of the Department of the Environment and Special Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brazil. Ambassador Mxakato-Diseko participated as representative of the COP 17/CMP 7 President, and representatives of the G-77/China, Alliance of Small Island States, Qatar, as the incoming President of COP 18/CMP 8, Egypt, a member of the Arab Group, and Nepal, as incoming Chair of LDCs, also were invited.
Ministers welcomed the offer by India to host the 14th BASIC Ministerial Meeting in the first quarter of 2013. [Joint Statement Issued at the Conclusion of the 13th BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change Beijing, China 19-20 November 2012]