Brazil, China, India and South Africa have criticsed developed nations for not doing enough to curb greenhouse gases and fund efforts to confront climate change.
In a joint statement issued after talks in the southern Brazilian city of Foz de Iguacu, climate negotiators from the four countries making up the so-called BASIC group said developed nations’ current commitments on emissions reductions and on financing were not enough.
“Ministers reiterated their concern with the inadequacy of developed countries’ current commitments on emissions reductions and provision of financial and technological support,” the statement noted, according to the French newsagency AFP.
Attending the gathering were Brazilian Environment Minister Izabella Teixeira, her South African counterpart Edna Molewa, China’s climate high representative Xie Zhenhua and India’s environment secretary V Rajagopalan.
AFP reports also present were delegates from Argentina, Fiji, current head of the G77 group of developing nations, Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela.
The statement came ahead of a United Nations conference on climate change scheduled for November in the Polish capital, Warsaw.
The Warsaw meeting will seek to make progress toward reaching an ambitious global accord by 2015 to reduce greenhouse gases.
Brazil, China, India and South Africa pressed for commitments “by all countries” to curb gas emissions.
At the same time they said action must take into account historic responsibilities and capabilities, an issue which still divides emerging, developing and rich countries in the negotiations.
