COP26 outcome should focus on preserving the NDCs: BASIC

The outcome of the 26th edition of the climate change conference in Glasgow, Scotland, should focus on preserving the determined nature of NDCs, or nationally determined contributions, corresponding to their highest possible ambition in the light of different national circumstances, BASIC, which is a bloc of four countries comprising Brazil, South Africa, India and China, said on Wednesday.

This means that BASIC doesn’t support uniform NDC commitments and timelines for all countries, like a net zero emissions target by 2050.

In a joint statement, the four countries said that the outcome of the ongoing summit should reflect equity and principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC), in light of different national circumstances, as stated in the Paris Agreement, concluding the negotiations related to Article 6 (carbon markets) of the agreement and signalling to developed country Parties to fulfill their financial obligations without further delay were of priority to them.

The grouping also sought specific information on the provision of technical, financial and capacity-building resources to developing countries representing a progression beyond previous efforts, recognising the significant role of public funds in climate finance.

It highlighted that BASIC and other developing countries had made the first move, coming forward with high ambition, despite not bearing historical responsibility for climate change. The grouping now expects developed countries to show leadership in the matter, it said.

The ministers of the four countries also expressed concern that climate finance provided by

developed countries have fallen short of the USD 100 billion per year-commitment by 2020, and that finance tends to be provided with unilateral conditionality and eligibility criteria as well as in the form of loans, rather than grants, which aggravates the debt crisis.

“Developed countries must urgently step forward to fulfil their obligations and mobilise at least USD 100 billion per year from 2021 to 2025, and initiate, at COP 26, deliberations on a formal, transparent and open process for setting a new collective quantified goal on finance, under the Paris Agreement, including through an inclusive forum for deliberation with a detailed roadmap outlining milestones for adopting a goal no later than 2023,” the statement said.

The new collective quantified goal must build from a floor of USD 100 billion per year, be significantly publicly-funded with greater transparency and predictability, and take a balanced approach towards mitigation and adaptation in light of the needs and priorities of developing countries, the countries said.

“The ministers emphasised that trust amongst parties is central to the success of a multilateral process and that climate change can only be successfully addressed through a collective multilateral response. The history of negotiations and the past commitments must not be forgotten or erased. In this spirit, it must be ensured that the discussions on pre-2020 action and support are not relegated to the background in this COP,” the statement added.

The BASIC meeting was chaired by environment minister Bhupender Yadav and attended by Joaquim Leite, Brazil environment minister, Xie Zhenhua, China special envoy

for climate change, Zhao Yingmin, vice minister, ministry of ecology and environment of People’s Republic of China, and Barbara Creecy, minister of forestry, fisheries and the environment of Republic of South Africa.