Crucial to hold global temp rise to below 2 deg Celsius: BASIC

A day after UN said that "much greater" efforts are required to cap global warming below the danger threshold, the environment ministers of BASIC countries today emphasised the importance of holding the increase in temperatures to below the stated goal of 2 degrees Celsius.
Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar and negotiators from Brazil, South Africa and China -- the other BASIC countries -- today issued a joint statement at the conclusion of the 21st BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change in Beijing.
"The ministers emphasised the importance of holding the increase in average global temperature below 2 degrees Celsius related to pre-industrial levels through enhanced mitigation, adaptation and means of implementation," the statement said.

It also emphasised the need for financial and technological assistance from developed countries for achieving ambitious mitigation and adaptation actions under the Paris agreement.
Carbon-cutting pledges by 146 countries for a universal climate rescue pact leave the "door open" for capping global warming below the danger threshold, United Nations said yesterday, a month ahead of crunch talks in Paris.
"An unprecedented world-wide effort is underway to combat climate change, building confidence that nations can cost- effectively meet their stated objective of keeping a global temperature rise to under 2 C," it said in an assessment of the country pledges.

At the same time, "much greater emissions reductions efforts... Will be required" to meet the two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) target endorsed by the UN 195-nation climate body, it added.

On the heels of the observation by UN, the BASIC environment ministers said, "Developed countries must provide financial resources, technology development and transfer and capacity-building support to developing countries for their ambitious mitigation and adaptation actions under the Paris agreement."
The ministers reaffirmed that the Paris agreement will address in a balanced manner the core elements mandated by the Durban Platform, including mitigation, adaptation, finance, technology development and transfer, capacity-building and transparency of action and support.
The climate meet was attended by Xie Zhenhua, Special Representative for Climate Change of China, Izabella Teixeira, Minister for the Environment of Brazil, and Judy Beaumont, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Environmental Affairs as the representative of Edna Molewa, Minister of Environmental Affairs of South Africa.

The ministers affirmed that the Paris agreement should provide for the parties to regularly prepare, communicate and implement their enhanced commitments and actions in accordance with Article 4 of the Convention. Such an effort should represent a progression beyond the current undertaking of that party.