Report: BASIC alliance goes well beyond climate, reflects new dynamics
Press release: October 13, 2011
Year-long project identifies domestic and foreign-policy drivers that brought China, India, Brazil and South Africa together to reshape the COP15 negotiations, explores their future role in climate talks.
When four emerging economies banded together at the international climate change negotiations in Copenhagen (COP15) and dramatically altered the path of the talks, much of the world was taken by surprise. What was this “BASIC” alliance that struck a deal with the United States to produce the Copenhagen Accord? And what role would these powerful developing nations play in future climate talks?
The new SEI report, Together Alone: BASIC countries and the climate change conundrum, shows how China, India, Brazil and South Africa – four very different countries with disparate agendas – came together not just in the face of demands to adopt binding emission-reduction targets like richer countries, but also because of broader geopolitical forces, as their profile rises in international affairs and the global economy.
The report also addresses charges – from European negotiators and others – that BASIC is nothing but an “obstructionist” force. Not only do the group’s positions mirror those long held by developing nations, the report shows, but individual BASIC members, especially India, have shown a substantial willingness to compromise and to broker agreements that require them to take on greater responsibilities.
“Many ask, what do we do about BASIC, how do we engage with them?” says Karl Hallding, lead author of the report and director of SEI’s China Programme. “There is no good answer for that. But you don’t reach them by telling them they’re not doing enough, because they are doing a lot more than many developed countries.”
A major research endeavor
The new report, which was co-financed by the Nordic Council of Ministers, is the result of more than a year of research by Hallding and five colleagues – four at SEI, one at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs – who interviewed almost 100 policymakers, climate negotiators, researchers, and civil-society members; did extensive research; and observed the BASIC group at UN negotiations. It is the most comprehensive analysis of BASIC to date and was reviewed by policy experts and researchers in several countries.
“The Copenhagen and Cancun climate summits showed how the fast-growing emerging economies – especially Brazil, China, India and South Africa – are now critical global players,” says Hans Verolme, founder and strategic senior adviser for the Climate Advisers Network in Berlin, who reviewed the report. “While I do not share all the authors’ viewpoints, SEI and the Nordic Council are to be lauded for preparing this study. It is recommended reading for policymakers and students of climate change and geo-politics.”
“By providing such an in-depth look at BASIC and its individual members, this report goes a long way toward promoting constructive engagement between this group and the rest of the world,” says Bo Kjellén, former chief climate negotiator for Sweden, another reviewer.
A focus on understanding
The authors stress that the goal of this report is not to advance any one party’s agenda in the climate talks, but rather to provide “a more sophisticated, nuanced understanding” of BASIC and thus help international negotiators find ways to overcome differences and break deadlocks.
“Work towards a global climate agreement under the UNFCCC has been a long and difficult process,” says co-author Antto Vihma, of the Finnish Institute of International Affairs. “It’s clear that many of the remaining obstacles to a comprehensive agreement are the result of countries beginning from different ‘starting positions’ – in development terms, in energy resources, in economic strength, and in ideology. In essence, key countries have different perspectives on the form of a meaningful agreement, as well as the substance, such as the extent of differentiated responsibilities.”
Co-author Marie Olsson, an SEI research associate, says it’s also important to understand that the BASIC countries’ collaboration goes well beyond climate, or the BASIC structure itself. “These countries are also coming together in the Major Economies Forum, at the World Trade Organization, and in overlapping groups such as BRICS. This shows they see a greater strategic value in these alliances, to strengthen their voice in global politics.”
Looking ahead to COP17 in Durban and beyond, the authors predict that rather than act as “tight negotiation bloc” with a unified negotiating position – which has not been the pattern to date – BASIC will focus on a few “bottom line issues,” such as continuing to distinguish between Annex I and non-Annex I countries in any climate treaty.
“Ultimately, BASIC may fade away, having served its purpose,” says co-author Aaron Atteridge, research fellow at SEI. “But it seems more likely that it could provide ‘firewall’ protection when the countries feel ambushed by the developed world, as they did in Copenhagen. Optimally, it could serve as a forum for constructive dialogue.”
About the authors
Together Alone: BASIC countries and the climate change conundrum was written by Karl Hallding, Marie Olsson, Aaron Atteridge, Marcus Carson and Mikael Román of SEI and Antto Vihma of the Finnish Institute of International Affairs. The research was carried out in collaboration with the Nordic Working Group for Global Climate Negotiations (NOAK), under the Nordic Council of Ministers.
Download a copy of the report Together Alone: BASIC countries and the climate change conundrum: http://www.norden.org/en/publications/publications/2011-530
For more information, please contact:
Ylva Rylander – Press and Communications Adviser, Stockholm Environment Institute (European media) – ylva.rylander@sei-international.org +46 73 150 3384
Marion Davis – Communications Manager, SEI Reducing Climate Risk theme (other countries) – marion.davis@sei-international.org +1 617 245 0895
Michael Funch – Communications Advisor, Nordic Council of Ministers – mifu@norden.org +45 339 603 32
The Stockholm Environment Institute is an independent international research institute. The institute has established a reputation for rigorous and objective scientific analysis in the field of environment and development. SEI aims to bring about change for sustainable development by bridging science and policy.
Tags: