Javadekar calls for enhanced action by developed countries to tackle climate change

Javadekar calls for enhanced action by developed countries to tackle climate change
New Delhi- 8th August, 2014

Shri Prakash Javadekar while delivering the welcome address at the 18th BASIC Ministerial meeting on climate change reiterated India’s commitment to sustainable development and efficient use and development of all resources including energy. He called for incentivising action and said that in this regard there is a requirement of enhanced response from the developed countries to fight climate change.

He further said “We firmly believe that the issue of climate change and global warming is not country-specific but is inter-dependent in nature and requires cooperation among nations. India has already taken a number of actions on a voluntary basis with its own resources in pursuance of a sustainable development strategy. India has announced a voluntary 2020 mitigation goal of reducing emissions intensity of its GDP by 20-25% over 2005 levels by 2020. Towards this, India has formulated its National Climate change Action Plan with eight missions, which are being strengthened. We have designed a low carbon strategy for growth and have set up ambitious renewable energy targets”.

The Ministerial group later released a Joint Statement. Following is the text of the Joint statement of the 18th BASIC Ministerial group on climate change:

1. The 18th BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change was held in New Delhi, India on 7-8 August 2014. The meeting was attended by H.E Mr. Prakash Javadekar, Minister of State (IC) of Environment, Forests and Climate Change of India, 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 and H.E. Dr. Francisco Gaetani, Deputy Minister of Environment of Brazil.

1. The Ministers noted that considerable progress has been achieved by their countries in reducing poverty. Despite the massive scale of development challenges still faced by them, the governments of all BASIC countries are undertaking extensive and ambitious voluntary mitigation actions to pursue low carbon pathways including through the development and deployment of renewable energy, improving energy efficiency through improved technologies, REDD+, etc.

1. The Ministers reviewed the progress after the Warsaw COP and the way forward. Ministers stressed that the 2015 outcome to be adopted at the COP in Paris should be comprehensive, balanced, equitable and fair in order to enhance the full, effective and sustained implementation of the Convention. The Ministers affirmed that the BASIC countries are ready and willing to play their part in this process and extended their full support to the Government of Peru for a successful COP in Lima, which would be central to the 2015 outcome. They also stressed their full support to the Government of Venezuela for the Pre-COP to be held this year.

1. The Ministers underscored the need for finalization of the elements for a draft negotiating text for the 2015 outcome by the COP in Lima. They reiterated that the six core elements for the 2015 outcome have been identified in paragraph 5 of decision 1/CP.17 and that these should be addressed in a balanced and comprehensive manner through an open and transparent, inclusive, party-driven and consensus-building process.

1. The Ministers reaffirmed that the process and outcome of the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP) must be in full accordance with all the principles, provisions and structure of the Convention, in particular the principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.

1. The Ministers emphasized that the developed countries should take the lead in addressing climate change in accordance with their historical responsibilities, the latest available scientific evidence on climate change trends and the IPCC AR5. They urged developed countries to implement their commitments under the Convention towards developing countries for provision of finance, technology and capacity-building support and highlighted the importance and relevance of Article 4.7 of the Convention in this regard.

1. The Ministers concurred with the need for all Parties to communicate their intended nationally determined contributions (INDCs) as early as possible. The Ministers affirmed that the INDCs would include all pillars of the Durban Platform - mitigation, adaptation, finance, technology development and transfer and capacity-building.

1. The Ministers stressed that in accordance with the Convention principle of differentiation, the commitments of the developed countries to be included in the INDCs should be quantified economy-wide emission reduction targets for mitigation and provision of finance, technology development and transfer as well as capacity building support to developing countries for their mitigation and adaptation actions. They reiterated that the INDCs of developing countries will be in the context of their social and development needs and will also be premised on the extent of financial, technological and capacity-building support provided by developed countries.

1. The Ministers emphasized that the information to be provided in the context of the INDCs would also need to be accordingly differentiated between the developed and developing countries in accordance with Article 12 of the Convention. The Ministers further stressed that the purpose of such information is to facilitate the clarity, transparency and understanding of the INDCs in accordance with the Warsaw decision.

1. The Ministers reiterated that the Kyoto Protocol remains the essential and legally binding basis for addressing pre-2020 mitigation ambition. The Ministers called for the expeditious ratification of the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol and emphasized the importance of revisiting and significantly increasing ambition of QELROs in 2014 and in line with what is required by science, and comparable pledges in the same timeframe by those Annex I Parties, who have not participated in the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol till now. The Ministers expressed their serious concern on the low level of mitigation ambition of developed countries and called for necessary arrangements to be made for the 2014 Revisit for increasing the emission reduction targets by all developed country parties.

1. The Ministers noted with concern that the pre-2020 ambition gaps exist not only in mitigation but also in adaptation and finance, technology and capacity-building support to developing countries. They reiterated that the contribution of developing countries to mitigation efforts is far greater than that of developed countries and could be further enhanced if developed countries effectively implement and significantly increase their commitments of providing finance, technology and capacity building support to developing countries.

1. The Ministers underscored the importance of adaptation measures required to address the impacts of climate change, especially for the developing countries, which requires international support from developed countries on issues relating to risk reduction, management and resilience. They drew attention to the fact that since climate change impacts are global in nature, adaptation measures required also need an international response. The Ministers welcomed the Warsaw COP decision on setting up a Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage.

1. The Ministers called for the full operationalization of and close coordination between institutions established in the Bali process, including the Green Climate Fund, the Standing Committee on Finance, the Technology Executive Committee, the Climate Technology Centre and Network and the Adaptation Committee. Ministers called for the immediate and substantial capitalization of the GCF. The Ministers proposed that a part of the funds to be made available under the Green Climate Fund could be utilized to secure IPRs of relevant climate friendly technologies for deployment in developing countries.

1. The Ministers expressed disappointment over the continued lack of any clear roadmap for providing US$ 100 billion per year by developed countries by 2020. They urged developed countries to honour their obligations to provide new, additional and predictable financial support to developing countries in a measurable, reportable and verifiable manner. They reiterated that public financial sources should be the mainstay of climate finance and that private finances could only be expected to play a supplementary role.

1. The Ministers reaffirmed the importance of multilateralism in addressing climate change in accordance with the principles and provisions of the Convention and reiterated their strong opposition to any unilateral measures such as in aviation or shipping.

1. The Ministers looked forward to the upcoming Summit on Climate Change to be hosted by the UN Secretary General in New York on 23 September 2014 for generating political momentum on climate action.

1. The Ministers welcomed the Outcome Document of the Santa Cruz Summit of the Group of 77 and China held in June 2014 to mark the 50th anniversary of the Group. They noted the achievements of the Group, in articulating the concerns and interests of the developing countries in various fora , including the UNFCCC, over the last five decades and expressed the confidence that the Group will continue to work for an equitable and successful outcome in Paris. In this regard, the Ministers extended their full support to Bolivia during its current Chairmanship of the Group of 77 and China.

1. The Ministers also welcomed the 3rd International conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) scheduled on 1-4 September 2014 in Apia, Samoa and reiterated their traditional solidarity with the SIDS countries in their efforts to adequately meet their unique development challenges and vulnerabilities.

1. The Ministers welcomed the offer by South Africa to host the 19thBASIC Ministerial Meeting during the third week of October, 2014.