19 February 2013
BASIC Countries Urge Developed Countries to Ratify the Kyoto Protocol Amendments
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The 14th BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change concluded with the adoption of a joint statement in which ministers reaffirm that the Kyoto Protocol remains a key component of the international climate regime, and appreciate the leadership demonstrated by developed countries that joined the second commitment period.

They call on parties, particularly developed countries, to quickly ratify the Protocol amendments and raise their level of ambition.

14 February 2012: The 14th BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change concluded with the adoption of a joint statement in which ministers reaffirm that the Kyoto Protocol remains a key component of the international climate regime, and appreciate the leadership demonstrated by developed countries that joined the second commitment period. They call on parties, particularly developed countries, to quickly ratify the Protocol amendments and raise their level of ambition.

The 14th Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change, which was held in Chennai, India, from 15-16 February 2013, was attended by representatives from Brazil, South Africa, India and China (BASIC). Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah, as President of the 18th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 18), also participated in the meeting, in line with the ‘BASIC-Plus’ approach.

In the joint statement, Ministers emphasize that in the run up to COP 21, the issue of raising ambition under the Kyoto Protocol and the Convention is key, stressing that Annex I parties should raise ambition in line with the latest available scientific evidence. They call on developed countries to raise their low level of mitigation ambition in their Kyoto Protocol second commitment period pledges, and on those countries that have not joined the second commitment period to achieve comparable mitigation efforts. They say that developing countries, including the BASIC countries, have voluntarily presented their ambitious nationally appropriate mitigation actions (NAMAs) and “have agreed to a regime of transparency of actions” which, according to their view, are actions “far greater in quantum and impact” than those of the developed countries. Furthermore, ministers urge developed countries to take the lead and also scale up ambition in adaptation, finance, technology transfer and capacity building.

In order to achieve the goal of providing US$100 billion per year by 2020 in climate finance, ministers stress the need for a clear roadmap, calling on Annex I parties to continue providing, in the short-term, at least the same level as Fast Start Finance until such a roadmap is drafted.

Regarding the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP), the BASIC representatives reiterate that the ADP work must build on the work done by parties under the Bali Road Map and welcome the Doha decision that acknowledges that the ADP work shall be guided by the Convention principles. They stress that the ADP is not a process to negotiate a new regime, nor to renegotiate, rewrite or reinterpret the Convention and its principles and provisions, saying that the ADP process and outcomes are under the Convention in accordance with its principles, in particular those of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.

Ministers further stress that the Convention principles should underpin the climate-related discussions in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO), in particular those on market-based measures in ICAO. They further note the BASIC experts’ recommendations to organize an international conference on scientific and technical aspects of black carbon and to devise a work programme on aspects, such as equity and the market-based mechanism.

Finally, the joint statement indicates that they agree to host their 15th BASIC Ministerial Meeting in South Africa, during the second quarter of 2013. [14th BASIC Ministerial Joint Statement]


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