BASIC countries to speak in one voice on issue of climate change: Javadekar

The BASIC group can play an important role in ensuring that all countries accept the Paris climate agreement in its letter and spirit, Environment Minister Javadekar has said.

Javadekar is attending the 28th ministerial meeting of BASIC -- Brazil, South Africa, India and China -- countries on climate change in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

"Brazil, South Africa, India and China put together has one-third of the world's geographical area and nearly 40 per cent of the world's population and when we unitedly speak in one voice this shows our determination and the BASIC Group could play an important part in making Paris agreement accepted by all the countries in its true letter and spirit," he said at the meeting, according to an official statement.

BASIC will be united and will speak in one voice and the joint statement issued on Saturday has highlighted all the issues which are relevant today, he said.

The world must take note of what BASIC is saying on the eve of United Nations Session on Climate Change and the next Conference of Parties (CoP25) in Chile, he said, according to the statement.

According to the joint statement, the ministers reiterated their commitment to work together with all parties in an open, transparent, inclusive and party-driven manner to achieve a balanced and comprehensive outcome on all remaining items of the Paris Agreement Work Programme.

The ministers emphasized that the UNSG's Climate Action Summit, to be held in September this year, should be fully respectful of the principles and provisions of the UNFCCC, its Kyoto Protocol and its Paris Agreement, as well as existing aims, targets and mandates.

They look forward for the Summit to send a strong political signal for global low-carbon, climate resilient and sustainable development and produce positive outcomes for pre-2020 ambition and implementation support for developing countries.

According to the joint statement, the ministers urged developed countries to provide adequate and predictable means of implementation to developing countries to enable them to achieve their climate goals.

"In this respect, developed countries are called upon to enhance support to developing countries for actions related to project or programme development and implementation, including on adaptation, mitigation and transparency. This must be done through adequate provision of finance, technology transfer, and capacity building to facilitate the effective implementation of the Convention," it said.