The collective of the four advanced developing countries, BASIC, Brazil, South Africa, India and China, has stressed that the global effort to tackle climate change must focus on adapting to climate as well as reducing emissions. "Adaptation needs are driven by the extent of adverse effects of climate change, experienced both now and in the future," the BASIC said in the statement on Friday at the end of their two-consultation in Sun City, South Africa.Ahead of the negotiations to be held in Bonn later this month, the BASIC made it clear that the developing countries will not allow a lopsided global agreement that will focus more on efforts to reduce emission.

The quartet stressed that the new global compact to be finalised in Paris next December must be balanced and include the efforts to be made by each country or intended nationally determined contributions (INDC) must include mitigation, adaptation, finance, technology development and transfer, and capacitybuilding. In this context, the representatives of the four countries reiterated the need to focus on adaptation. "Adaptation is an issue which requires a global response and is as important as mitigation. National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) could be the basis for parties' adaptation INDCs. Investment in adaptation by developing countries would represent an adaptation contribution," the BASIC said in the statement.The BASIC has said that the existing institutions and mechanisms created under the Convention should be used and further strengthened beyond 2020. "The elements of the 2015 agreement should strengthen and enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of climate action. This will be done through provisions to strengthen institutional linkages between the adaptation committee and the Technology Executive Committee with the Standing Committee on Finance with the Green Climate Fund and other operating entities of the Convention's Financial Mechanism," according to the statement.

Making the link between provision of climate finance by industrialised countries and the robustness of the global effort to counter climate change, the BASIC sought clarity on the manner in which developing countries will be supported in the implementation of their contributions under the 2015 agreement, given the serious socio-economic challenges they face and their urgent efforts to eradicate poverty. The quartet called on the industrialised countries to give "clearer" indications of their commitment to meet the climate finance goal of $100 billion a year by 2020 and the initial capitalisation of the Green Climate Fund. Till now $2.3 billion has been pledged towards the Green Climate Fund, but it falls far short of the $10 billion required to begin operations in 2015.

The BASIC leaders "stressed the need for clearer indications from developed countries on meeting their commitment to provide $100 billion in climate finance per year by 2020, and meaningful and substantial contributions to the Green Climate Fund", the statement said.

Besides, the four countries agreed to push for adequate resource allocation to the Adaptation Fund and the adaptation window of the Green Climate Fund at the December negotiations in Lima under the aegis of the United Nations Framework on Climate Change.

The leaders and representatives of the four countries stressed that the new global compact must not redefine or renegotiate the convention and must recognise the differentiation between developed and developing countries as reflected in the principle of common but differentiated responsibility and respective capabilities.Industrialised countries have been pushing for a reworking of the 1992 firewall between developed and developing countries, arguing that the economic realities of the 1990s no longer hold true in 2014.