Indian Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav has chaired a meeting at COP26 in Glasgow, UK in which ministers of Brazil, South Africa, India and China represented the BASIC Group.
According to a joint statement on November 10, all the ministers pledged their full support to the United Kingdom COP26 Presidency for a successful conference, which delivers an ambitious and balanced outcome, including the completion of the Paris Agreement Work Programme to facilitate the full implementation of the Paris Agreement and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
Ministers highlighted that despite the tremendous developmental challenges and pressures of poverty eradication, which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the BASIC countries continue to lead from the front on climate change actions.
Ambitious climate change targets announced by BASIC are testimony to the seriousness that BASIC countries accord to tackling climate change.
At COP 26, the Minister of the Environment of Brazil reassured the country's full commitment to being part of the global response to tackle climate change by supporting the Glasgow Leaders' Declaration on Forests and Land Use. Brazil also announced new climate goals, the joint statement said.
These goals include: 50 per cent of emissions reductions by 2030, zero illegal deforestation by 2028, restore and reforest 18 million hectares of forests by 2030 and achieve, in 2030, the participation of 45 per cent to 50 per cent of renewable energies in the composition of the energy matrix.
India announced five new and updated targets including increasing non-fossil fuel installed electricity capacity to 500 Gigawatts by 2030, achieving 50 per cent of cumulative electric power installed capacity from renewable energy by 2030, reducing total projected carbon emissions by 1 billion tons of between now and 2030, reducing emissions intensity of GDP by 45 per cent by 2030 and achieving net zero emissions by 2070.
(ANI)