NEW DELHI - There should be high level talks between Brazil, Russia, India and China on a global pact to combat climate change before the first BRIC summit in Russia next month, India’s top climate negotiator Shyam Saran said here Thursday.

The talks should be at the level of either politicians or senior officials, Prime Minister’s Special Envoy on Climate Change Saran told delegates from all BRIC countries at a summit preparatory meeting organised by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF).

‘This is necessary to give the necessary push at the BRIC level to the serious issue of climate change,’ said Saran, describing energy security and climate change as ‘two sides of the same coin’.

He pointed out that though India, Brazil and China were working together on the issue of climate change, there has not been much consultation with Russia. ‘Russia needs to take active part in climate change consultations.’

Saran felt there was a need to ‘create a big platform like at the level of BRIC to enhance cooperation among these countries on energy efficiency’, according to an ORF spokesperson.

He also suggested putting on the BRIC platform some components of the bilateral cooperation between the BRIC countries in the field of science and technology.

Stressing the need to shift towards renewable energy sources, Saran said: ‘Though Russia and Brazil are now energy rich and have sufficient biofuels, it is strategically safer not to depend only on these depleting fuels, though they are green’.

The BRIC summit should send a clear message that ‘green protectionism’ and ‘the so-called green tariff’ are not acceptable to developing countries, he added. ‘Green should not become a label for protectionism.’

The two-day preparatory meet will come up with a set of recommendations for the leaders at the BRIC summit.