- BASIC countries comprise Brazil, South Africa, India and China.
- This comes ahead of the UN Conference of Parties (COP) scheduled to be held in December 2018 in Katowice, Poland.
What came out from the meeting?
- Participating BASIC countries reaffirmed that Paris Agreement is a significant step to advance global action against climate change, recognising needs and special circumstances of developing countries.
- They also reaffirmed member countries' commitment to implement UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) its Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreemennt.
- It resolved to promote low carbon transition to safeguard future of mankind.
- As a group they will continue to push for developed countries on their earlier commitment to providing $100 billion annually from 2020.
- They also urged developed countries to take urgent actions to close pre-2020 implementation gaps by 2023 which they said can be a useful input for first Global Stocktake (GST).
- Brazil will host the next BASIC meeting in 2019.
About Global Stocktake (GST):
- GST refers to proposed five-yearly-review of the impact of climate change action undertaken by countries.
- Under the Paris Agreement, each country has to present a climate action plan every five years.
- Under the Paris Agreement, the first global stocktake will happen in 2023.
- It will help the world to determine whether it needs to do more and how much more.
- India has demanded for a 10-year period for GST, while EU and some others have demanded a five-year cycle.
- India argues that five years is too short a time to assess whether the actions were having the desired impacts.
About BASIC:
- BASIC countries are bloc (geopolitical alliance) of four large newly industrialized countries - Brazil, South Africa, India and China.
- It was formed by agreement in November 2009.
- They were committed to act jointly at Copenhagen climate summit 2009, including a possible united walk-out if their common minimum position was not met by developed nations during climate talks.
- It is working to define a common position on emission reductions and climate aid money and try to convince other countries to sign up to the Copenhagen Accord.
Question:
Q. Where was the 27th BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change held?a. London
b. New Delhi
c. Brussels
d. Bangkok
