BASIC huddle on US Copenhagen demands

When India, China, South Africa and Brazil meet over the weekend in Cape town, the US’s demand for making Copenhagen Accord a part of the UN climate negotiations will top the conference agenda.

When India, China, South Africa and Brazil meet over the weekend in Cape town, the US’s demand for making Copenhagen Accord a part of the UN climate negotiations will top the conference agenda.

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The four-nation bloc, better known as BASIC countries, have acceded to the accord reached at the Danish capital but don’t want it to be the third track of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiating process. The US wants the accord to be part of the negotiations that start in May first week.

The group, looking for a middle path, has in a conference note decided to look into those elements of the accord that
can be included in the UN process. Long Term Cooperative Action on Climate Change and Kyoto Protocol, the existing climate treaty whose first commitment period expires in 2012, are both parts of the UNFCC process.

Emission reduction commitments by rich countries and unaided mitigation action expected of developing countries are part of the accord.

“Bringing the accord into UN process can help in bringing the US on board…,” said one of India’s climate negotiators.
A strategy to get key political agreements of the accord in formal talks would be finalised in Cape Town, said the negotiator, who didn’t wish to be identified as he is not authorised to speak to the media.

India wants commitments from rich countries, voluntary unsupported actions, or emission cuts without aid, from developing world, financial help for the least developed nations and technology transfer in the UN negotiating texts.

BASIC nations are keen that the Copenhagen Green Fund of $ 30 billion per year gets operationalised by next climate summit in Mexico in December.

Future of Kyoto Protocol and a shorter second commitment period under it will also be looked into. Several rich countries want the protocol to be scrapped. To counter the pressure, the bloc will consider a framework to replace it. “We want to be ready for any draft of rich countries on a new protocol replacing Kyoto,” the official said.