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The Minister of Environmental Affairs, Dr Edna Molewa, will from 22 to 23 June 2017 attend the third BRICS meeting of of Ministers of Environment in Tianjin, People’s Republic of China.

The BRICS Forum comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa and focuses on key strategic global issues such as the global economy, trade, peace and security and reform of multi-lateral institutions.

Among the matters deliberated on by the BRICS states has included the implementation, financing and creation of an enabling environment for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and  emerging global environmental issues. 

The People’s Republic of China assumed the Chair of BRICS on 1 January 2017. The 9th BRICS Summit is scheduled to be held in Xiamen, China, in September 2017 under the theme of “BRICS: Stronger Partnership for a Brighter Future”.

The inaugural BRICS Ministers of Environment meeting in Moscow, Russia in April 2015, while the 2nd meeting was hosted in Goa, India in September 2016.

During the two-day meeting in Tianjin province in China, the Ministers of Environment are set to deliberate on the development of the environmental technology platform, particularly in relation to clean rivers and the BRICS City Partnership for Environmental Sustainability Initiative (CPESI), proposed by the People’s Republic of China.

The Minister will also deliberate on global environmental issues, including the entering into force of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, and enhancing cooperation in the field of biodiversity for the implementation of the objectives of the conservation, sustainable use and equitable sharing of benefits in line with the Convention of Biological Diversity.

The BRICS City Partnership Initiative is scheduled for adoption.  The CPESI identifies water, air, solid waste management and green finance in cities as the priority areas for development, thus encouraging cooperation between BRICS Member States to realise Sustainable Development Goal 11 which calls for “making cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”.

Minister Molewa said that the rolling out of the Agenda 2030 and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly for developing countries, has to emphasise the importance of the means of implementation, including financial assistance through continued Official Development Assistance (ODA).

“It is important that developed countries honour their historic obligations and responsibilities, as part of the commitments made in the context of the global partnership for development, which itself also needs to be expanded and strengthened,” said the Minister. “We must work together in mobilising sufficient, adequate and predictable financial resources for the implementation of these programmes, particularly in Africa and other developing countries.”

Issued by Department of Environmental Affairs