Emerging powers chide rich nations´ climate stance

In this Sept. 3, 2013 photo, Jacquelin Calvaire, 17, bathes using water from a fountain that taps mountain water in Petion-Ville, Haiti. Experts are sounding a new alarm about the effects of climate change for parts of the Caribbean: the depletion of already strained drinking water throughout much of the region. AP

BRASÍLIA – Brazil, China, India and South Africa on Monday chided 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 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.

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.

Also present were delegates from Argentina, Fiji, current head of the G77 group of developing nations, Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela.

Monday’s statement came ahead of a UN conference on climate change scheduled for November in 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 while taking into account historic responsibilities and capabilities, an issue which still divides emerging, developing and rich countries in the negotiations.