Ministers gathered for the 23rd BASIC Ministerial in Marrakesh.
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- Renewing their commitment to work with all Parties for COP22 to result in greater understanding and convergence on key issues related to the implementation of the Agreement, and expressed confidence that further concrete progress will be made on pre-2020 action and the global action agenda. Furthermore, BASIC Ministers reiterated their commitment to strengthen the unity and advancing the common interests of the Group of 77 and China.
- Stressing the importance of accelerating the implementation of commitments and actions in the pre-2020 period, and in particular ratifying the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol and addressing the gaps on Mitigation, Adaptation and provision of Means of Implementation. In this regard, the Ministers urged developed country Parties to revisit and increase their quantified emission reduction targets and enhance provision of means of implementation to allow developing countries to scale up mitigation and adaptation efforts, in order to lay a solid foundation for post-2020 enhanced ambition and implementation.
- Suggesting that the Facilitative Dialogue in Marrakesh on accelerating pre-2020 implementation should be comprehensive and productive, with a view to developing further concrete recommendations on pre-2020 implementation and ambition, including by strengthening the performance of the existing institutional arrangements under the Convention.
- Welcoming the imminent entry into force of the Paris Agreement on 4 November 2016. They acknowledged, in particular, the rapid ratification of the Paris Agreement by many Parties, including members of BASIC. Ministers recognised the ongoing efforts of other Parties to the Convention and strongly encouraged them to ratify the Agreement as soon as possible.
- Noting that as a result of this development, the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA) of the Paris Agreement will take place in Marrakesh in conjunction with COP22. Ministers emphasised the need for an inclusive process in completing the work mandated by Decision 1/CP.21 in preparation for the implementation of the Agreement. In that sense, Ministers called for the continuation of the mandates conferred to the Ah hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement, Subsidiary Body for Implementation, Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice and other constituted bodies until 2018, under the supervision of the COP, in order to prepare draft decisions to be recommended to the CMA.
- Noting that the CMA should not conclude its first session in conjunction with COP22, in order to give remaining Parties to the Convention time to ratify the Agreement and to make further progress on the work programme mandated by Decision 1/CP.21. Ministers called on the CMA to make the necessary arrangements during COP22 to initiate consideration of relevant matters as mandated in the Paris Agreement in an inclusive manner.