1. The 2024 BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change was held in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China on July 21 2024. The meeting was chaired by H.E. Mr. Huang Runqiu, Minister of Ecology and Environment of China, attended by H.E. Dr. Dion George, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment of South Africa; H.E. Dr. Ana Toni, Vice-Minister for Climate Change, on behalf of H.E Ms. Marina Silva, Minister of Environment and Climate Change of Brazil; and Mr. Neelesh Kumar Sah, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on behalf of H.E. Mr. Bhupender Yadav, Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change of India, and moderated by H.E. Mr. Zhao Yingmin, Vice Minister of Ecology and Environment of China.

2. Ministers emphasize that climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time. Despite the multiple crises including geopolitical tensions, global energy and food crises, inflation, growing hunger and inequalities, and disruptions to global supply-chains, Ministers confirmed their commitments to multilateralism and international cooperation towards low-carbon and climate-resilient development, in the context of eradication of poverty and sustainable development. 

3. Ministers underline the importance of a full, adequate, and effective implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement. They reaffirm the Paris Agreement temperature goal of holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, and reiterate it will be implemented in accordance with the principles of equity, common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities (CBDR-RC), in the light of different national circumstances. 

4.In this context, Ministers welcome the UAE Consensus, including the successful outcome of the first Global Stocktake of the Paris Agreement, adopted at COP28, which reaffirmed Parties’ resolve to remain united in the pursuit of efforts to achieve the purpose and long-term goals of the Agreement, while emphasizing the need for urgent action and support to keep the Paris temperature goal within reach and to address the climate crisis in this critical decade. They expressed their support to the Troika Partnership and their unwavering commitment towards the successful outcomes at COP29 and COP30 through an open, transparent, inclusive, Party-driven, and consensus-based process. 

5.Ministers pledge their full support to the incoming Azerbaijani Presidency and look forward to working with all other Parties towards a successful conference in Baku. They highlighted that the main outcome of COP29 will be to set the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on climate finance from developed to developing countries, as the key enabler for developing countries to communicate ambitious nationally determined contributions (NDCs) in 2025 and for enhanced climate implementation in this critical decade. Ministers defend that the new goal must advance on fulfilling outstanding gaps on the definition of climate finance, consistent with the definition of climate finance in the Convention and its Paris Agreement, which obliges developed countries to provide new and additional climate finance support to developing countries, whilst providing detailed transparency arrangements, in order to facilitate accountability, trust and the tracking of collective progress in delivering the quantum. Ministers express deep concerns around attempts by developed countries to dilute their climate finance legal obligations under international law through suggestions of broadening the contributor base, which could deviate negotiation efforts from core issues for climate action and ambition. Based on delivery of grant-based public-funded support by developed countries, Ministers indicated their expectation that the quantum of the NCQG should shift from billions to trillions of USD per year. 

6.Ministers demonstrate their expectations that a successful COP29 will build on COP28 to pave the way for ambitious outcomes by COP30. They welcome and commend Brazil’s leadership to host and preside COP30 in 2025. 

7.To break inertia in climate action, Ministers reiterated their agreement to strengthen BASIC leadership, by further implementing their new vision on cooperation among BASIC from COP28 to COP30 and beyond that encompasses: firstly, enhancing BASIC coordination on the international climate change agenda, with a focus on the multilateral climate regime under UNFCCC; secondly, leveraging their countries scientific and academic dialogue; and, thirdly, expanding joint action and cooperation on sustainable development implementation and projects, in particular through the expansion of the role of the New Development Bank (NDB) in supporting sustainable development in the Global South.

8.Ministers welcome the Brazilian presidency of BRICS+ in 2025.  As fellow members of BRICS+, they highlight the key contribution of the NDB in scaling-up and accelerating climate action in developing countries. They praised the NDB for its steadfast support of over a billion USD to the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul following the recent extreme flooding of unprecedented proportions. They recognize this demonstrates the NDB’s unique position in speeding-up the reform of multilateral development banks towards providing bigger, better and bolder support to developing countries.  Ministers emphasize the important role that the NDB can play towards the fundamental reform of the international financial architecture to enable sustainable development and the different just transitions pathways of countries and be fit-for-purpose to implement ambitious and equitable climate actions.

9.Ministers reaffirm their commitment to submitting their next generation of NDCs under the Paris Agreement, in a nationally-determined manner and in accordance with the principles and provisions of the Paris Agreement. They encourage countries to respond positively to the outcomes of the UAE Consensus. They stress NDCs should serve as instruments towards the achievement of the sustainable development goals, while contributing to reducing inequalities within and among countries. Ministers underline that the historical emissions and the use of the world’s carbon space is not equitably distributed as assessed by the IPCC’s AR6, with developed countries emitting historically more emissions relative to their share of the global population. They recognize that equitable mitigation action must be guided by historical responsibilities, climate justice, just transitions, and the need to conserve, preserve and restore ecosystem .

10.Ministers express serious concern over pre-2020 gaps in both mitigation ambition and implementation by developed country Parties. They recall the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change had indicated that developed countries should have reduced emissions by 25–40 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020, which was not achieved. They note with grave concern developed countries’ inadequate 2030 and 2050 mitigation ambitions, as well as the backtracking and incoherence in their climate policies and action. Ministers urge developed countries to urgently close pre2020 mitigation gaps, to revisit and strengthen the 2030 targets in their NDCs, and to achieve net-zero GHG emissions significantly ahead of 2050, preferably by 2030, and net-negative GHG emissions immediately thereafter.  

11.Ministers urge developed countries to abide by their legal commitments on both mitigation and finance. They note the inconsistency of climate finance accounting by developed countries, which seriously jeopardizes trust and legal certainty. They express concern over the inadequate and insufficient support provided by developed countries so far and urge them to close the gap in their climate finance commitments of USD 100 billion in accordance with multilaterally-agreed climate finance definitions. 

12.In view of the urgency of the climate crisis, Ministers call on developed countries to recognize the failure to fulfill their commitments, and urge them to step up their efforts and fulfill their commitments on climate finance to provide and mobilize new and additional climate finance to developing countries in a timely and adequate manner, and take the lead in mitigation. They note the leadership void left by developed countries reinforces the urgency of strengthening multilateralism, and delivering obligations under the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement. In the context of increased political uncertainty and divides, Ministers pledge to serve as a stabilizing force for the Global South in navigating the climate crisis in pursuit of sustainable development imperatives.

13.Ministers call for global solidarity in ensuring that no country, place nor individual is left behind. They reiterate that BASIC is willing and ready to genuinely contribute its best effort and cooperate with all countries in addressing climate change. They further reiterate BASIC strong determination to show solidarity towards the Global South. They reaffirm the commitment of BASIC, as developing countries, to the unity of Group of 77 and China, and highlighted the importance of cooperation among developing countries. They reaffirm their unequivocal support for the current Ugandan Presidency, with a view to consolidating the unity of the Group of 77 and China and advancing the common interests of developing countries.

14.Ministers welcome the UAE Consensus on Just Transition Pathways, which provides a vision for all-of-economy and all-of-society just transitions to achieve sustainable development, leaving no country nor individual behind. Both the international and national dimensions of climate justice need to be addressed to achieve this inclusive and holistic approach, with an emphasis on enabling means of implementation for developing countries, in the context of sustainable development and of efforts to tackle poverty, hunger and inequalities within and among countries. 

15.Ministers emphasized energy transitions should be carried out in a just, orderly and equitable manner, being nationally determined, and taking into account the different stages of development, national circumstances, pathways and approaches, including resource endowments, as well as the needs and challenges of developing countries. They note the call for global efforts to triple renewable energy capacity globally and double the global average annual rate of energy efficiency improvements by 2030, as part of the outcome of the first GST. In this context, they welcome that more than two-thirds of all wind and solar projects are being undertaken in developing countries, with BASIC countries demonstrating leadership in implementation driving down costs of climate-friendly technologies globally. They express concern that protectionist measures by some developed countries seriously threaten the global green transition. They highlight the double-standard of developed countries by calling their own economies competitive when exporting renewable energy and at the same time criticizing the success of BASIC countries. Ministers also note with concern that there has been a significant increase in the production and consumption of fossil fuels by developed countries in recent years, and call them to clearly show they are taking the lead in transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems.

16.Ministers underscore that developing countries are the most adversely affected by climate change and that adaptation is a key imperative though neglected with imbalanced allocation of resources compared to mitigation. They urge developed countries to increase multifold their collective provision of climate finance for adaptation to developing country Parties from 2019 levels by 2024, with a transparent roadmap to a 50:50 allocation of the NCQG on mitigation and adaptation, to be implemented from January 2026. Ministers welcome the Framework for Global Climate Resilience, including agreement on 11 targets that provide more granular targets to achieve the global goal on adaptation (GGA). The implementation of all actions towards these targets should be based on support provided by developed countries to developing countries in line with principles and provisions of the Convention and its Paris Agreement, in particular CBDR-RC, with public fund at its core, including to monitor and evaluate the adequacy and effectiveness of means of implementation support provided by developed countries to developing countries based on their priorities of adaptation. 

17.Ministers condemn all forms of unilateralism and protectionism; reiterate that measures taken to address climate change, including unilateral measures, should not constitute a means of arbitrary or unjustifiable discrimination or a disguised restriction on international trade; urge the international community to cooperate in a united front to combat climate change; and reiterate their pledge to strengthen and deepen BASIC leadership and joint work in climate action and cooperation. Ministers rejected as discriminatory and unjust the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms planned by some developed countries under the pretext of climate action and resolve to work together to ensure that developing countries are not adversely impacted by these unilateral measures that undermine multilateralism and threaten sustainable development. They call developed countries to end trade distorting subsidies, including for the agricultural, forest and energy sectors, which adversely impact on the sustainable development of developing countries.

18.Ministers note that developing countries provide most of the critical minerals and rare earths that are essential for all aspects of the modern economy, including the transition to renewable energy, and underscore the importance of these natural resources benefiting our people through beneficiation at source and creation of local value chains. They commit to working together to ensure sustainable, responsible and just value chains of critical minerals.

19.Ministers highlight that despite the enormous developmental challenges and pressures of poverty eradication at a time of global economic downturn and economic recovery, the BASIC countries continue to lead by example and are demonstrating their highest ambition on climate action, in the context of their overarching sustainable development imperatives:

Brazil has repositioned climate change as a topmost priority, alongside efforts to combat hunger, poverty and inequality. Deeply committed to strengthening multilateralism and global climate governance, Brazil has received the presidency of G20 from India, a BASIC peer, by framing the group’s work in 2024 under the theme “building a just world and a sustainable planet,” which incorporates climate change solutions across both the sherpa and finance tracks. Brazil will pass on the G20 to South Africa, also a BASIC partner. In addition to the Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group, Brazil has proposed the Task-Force on Global Mobilization Against Climate Change (TF-CLIMA) for resetting action and finance towards structural solutions. TF-CLIMA brings together for the first time Foreign, Finance and Climate Ministries and central banks. As incoming president of COP30, Brazil has been working with the COP28 and COP29 presidencies to advance the Road Map to Mission 1.5. In November 2023, Brazil adjusted its 2030 NDC to enhance its emissions reduction ambition to 53% compared to 2005. To support the implementation of Brazil’s NDCs and National Adaptation Plan (NAP), the Inter-ministerial Committee on Climate Change (CIM), relaunched in 2023, is working around the National Climate Plan, to consolidate the national strategy together with 7 sectoral plans on climate mitigation and 16 plans on adaptation. Since President Lula took office, Brazil has committed to "zero deforestation," whilst also relaunching the Amazon Fund, the Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Deforestation in the Legal Amazon (PPCDAm) and in the Cerrado (PPCerrado). From January to December 2023, Brazil achieved a 50% reduction of deforestation in the Amazon, and a further reduction of 40.5% from January to May 2024, which alone have prevented around 250 million tons of carbon from being emitted. Recent data also show 15% reduction in deforestation in the Cerrado in the first semester of 2024. Brazil is updating its National Plan for the Recovery of Native Vegetation (PLANAVEG) for the recovery of at least 12 million hectares of native vegetation by 2030. At COP28, Brazil's National Development Bank (BNDES) launched the “Arc of Restoration” initiative for financing the recovery of 24 million hectares of Amazonian forest by 2050. In August 2023, the Brazilian government also announced an economy-wide "Ecological Transformation Plan," which consolidates the country's vision for a future of economic growth with social inclusion and environmental preservation. Under Brazil’s Climate Fund, 2 billion USD have been issued in green bonds to support climate action, while the “Eco Invest Brasil” initiative, launched in April 2024, aims at fostering structural conditions to attract foreign private investments for ecological transformation. In the energy sector, renewables currently represents around 50% of the country's total energy supply and 90% of its electricity supply. The installed electricity generation capacity in Brazil expanded by 9.4% between 2022 and 2023, with notable trends around a decrease in thermal generation from natural gas (-7.9%) and oil products (-19.3%), which was influenced by the increase in solar (+68.1%) and wind generation (+17.4%), resulting in a 6% reduction of GHG emissions from electricity generation in one year.

China is dedicated to implementing the national strategy of actively addressing climate change and committed to building a community with a shared future for humankind, aiming to peak its carbon emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. Since 2012, China has supported an economic growth of over 6% with an average annual energy consumption growth rate of 3%. The carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP have dropped by more than 35%, equivalent to a reduction of 1.4 billion tons of carbon dioxide emissions. By the end of 2023, China's installed capacity of renewable energy has historically surpassed that of coal power, with domestic renewable energy installations accounting for about 40% of the global total and more than 50% of the global new installations. The installed capacities of hydropower, wind power, solar power, biomass power, and nuclear power under construction all rank first in the world. China's manufacturing has led to a cumulative decrease of over 60% and 80% in the average costs of global wind and photovoltaic power generation, respectively, over the past decade. China's new energy vehicle ownership accounts for more than half of the global total. In 2023, the proportion of coal consumption in China decreased by 13.2 percentage compared to 2012, and China has recently initiated the low-carbon transformation of coal power. Additionally, China has established the world’s largest carbon market in terms of the volume of GHG emissions covered, and formulated the Methane Emission Control Action Plan and the National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy 2035. For 30 consecutive years, China's forest coverage and stock volume have both seen continuous growth, making it the country with the fastest and most significant increase in forest resources worldwide. At the same time, China is doing its utmost to promote South-South cooperation on climate change, including training more than 2,400 climate change officials and technical professionals from over 120 developing countries.

India has taken strong, ambitious and decisive climate actions, while making poverty alleviation and sustainable development its priorities. India has reduced the emissions intensity of its GDP by 33% in 2019. Thereby, achieving its original NDC target of 2015, 9 years ahead of time as of 30th June 2023, and continues to now fulfil its updated commitment of emission intensity reduction by 45% by 2030. India continues to lead by example with several robust steps in renewable energy, planned urban development, sustainable habitats, creation of carbon sinks through additional forest and tree cover, transition to sustainable transport, e-mobility, etc. India's non-fossil fuel based installed capacity stands at more than 201.75 GW as of May 2024 which is 45.36% of its total installed capacity. India has created 1.97 billion tons additional sinks by 2021. These steps have led to steady fulfillment of India's NDC goals of 2030. India stands 4th, globally, in RE Installed Capacity (including Large Hydro), 4th in Wind Power capacity and 4th in Solar Power capacity. India is always a part of the solution and plays an affirmative role towards fighting climate change. India firmly believes in multilateralism and has been proactive in helping other vulnerable Nations. India launched the ‘Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS)’ that promotes disaster and climate resilience of infrastructure assets in Small Island Developing States. India also launched the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) in 2019 to promote resilience of new and existing infrastructure systems to climate and disaster risk. India launched the International Solar Alliance in 2015, as a prime example of constructive global climate action through global partnership. The Green Grids Initiative - One Sun, One World One Grid (GGI-OSOWOG) was also launched by India in 2021, as the first international network of global interconnected solar power grids. Global Green Credit Initiative was launched by India in December, 2023 to promote global cooperation and collaboration and implementation and monitoring of environment-positive actions through various initiatives like Green Credits. India has also partnered with Sweden on the Leadership Group on Industry Transition (LeadIT) initiative to find innovative solutions for hard-to-abate sectors with a view to promoting voluntary action for low carbon transition. Phase-II of the Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT 2.0) for 2024-26 was launched in December, 2023. India has also launched the global “Lifestyle for Environment” campaign to promote environmentally conscious lifestyle focusing on mindful and deliberate utilization of resources. Resolution on ‘Promoting Sustainable Lifestyles’, proposed by India, was adopted at the sixth United Nations Environment Assembly, held in Nairobi, Kenya in March 2024. India has launched the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' (One tree in the name of mother) campaign on the occasion of World Environment Day on 5th June 2024. Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the people of the country as well as the world to plant a tree as a tribute to their mother.

South Africa has approved wide-reaching policies to ensure that we can meet its NDC targets. To ensure an equitable and science-based response to the climate crisis, which is centrally important to just transition, it is funding a wide range of research, development and innovation (RDI) programmes and interventions. These include the Global Change Research Plan (GCRP) and its associated programmes and interventions; a Marine and Antarctic Strategy; the South African Risk and Vulnerability Atlas (SARVA); Water and Waste RDI Roadmaps; the Bio-economy Strategy; Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS); Earth Observation work under the Space Sub-Programme; work on a climate-driven multi-hazard early warning system; the hydrogen and fuel cell technology development process (Hydrogen Society Roadmap), detailed mapping of renewable energy resources, via wind and solar atlases the advanced batteries (energy storage) initiative, and multiple programmes on moving towards a circular economy, and finally a strong research focus on water resources. It has also developed the 44 Districts Climate Change Adaptation Strategies to advance adaptation planning at the local level as well as the risk and vulnerability assessments for key sectors, Tourism, Biodiversity, Ocean and Coasts, Mining, Human Settlements. In addition, parliament has adopted the Climate Change Bill including allocation of carbon budgets for large emitting companies. A carbon tax has been implemented since 2019 when the Carbon Tax Act was passed. National Treasury is considering a higher tax rate for the next five-year period. Guided by its Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), South Africa has installed 6.2 GW of new renewable energy through five bid windows, and we are preparing to ramp up the next bid window significantly. The main focus is the implementation of the Just Energy Transition Investment Plan that focus on electric vehicle, electricity and green hydrogen

20.Ministers welcomed the proposals of India to host UNFCCC COP33 in the year 2028 and the BASIC Ministerial Meeting in the year 2025 in India.