While the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Simon Stiell, opened the Bonn Climate Change Conference on 3 June confident that significant progress could be made in the negotiations on climate finance ahead of COP29 in Baku in November (see EUROPE 13422/1), he ended it by admitting collective disappointment in his closing speech on Thursday 13 June.
He cited some progress on measures in favour of adaptation indicators, better functioning of the international carbon market, transparency and the planning of more robust climate action plans, but acknowledged the substantial work still to be done.
“We took a detour on the road to Baku. Too many issues were left unresolved. Too many items are still on the table”, he admitted.
Collective financing objective
While the parties exchanged views and attempted to harmonise the content of the “new collective quantified goal” on climate finance (NCQG) (see EUROPE 13431/7), the substantive framework of a draft decision has yet to be finalised before COP29.
Simon Stiell believes that this progress could be made outside the UNFCCC framework, particularly at G7 level: “Advanced economies have multiple levers to pull, including as shareholders in development banks”.
Following the Bonn Conference, the parties have been invited to submit their consolidated and updated views on the NCQG in order to produce a new information document, ahead of a third dedicated meeting and a high-level ministerial dialogue on the NCQG in October.
Adaptation
As part of the collective global goal on adaptation adopted at COP28 (see EUROPE 13313/16), the parties made progress on how the thematic indicators for adaptation can be inclusive, transparent and scientifically based, and planned the technical work that remains to be undertaken.
With regard to the National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), only 58 developing countries have already submitted one before the deadline, set for the end of 2025. The UNFCCC secretariat has called for more countries to have a plan by 2025 and to make progress in implementing it by 2030.
Mitigation
At the closing session, a number of delegations, including the EU, expressed their disappointment with the work programme for the implementation of climate mitigation measures, which supplements the ‘Global Stocktake’ of the Paris Agreement, agreed at COP28. Despite hours of consultations, no resolution was approved.
“In Baku we finally need to stop discussing whether we can discuss and instead provide the necessary signals to address the urgency of action. In our view, there cannot be a good outcome of COP29 if it doesn’t include a substantial outcome on mitigation”, insisted an EU representative.
International carbon markets
The discussions in Bonn enabled progress to be made on Article 6 of the Paris Climate Agreement, which sets out how countries can promote voluntary international cooperation, in particular through the transfer of carbon credits.
The delegations clarified their positions on Articles 6.2 and 6.4, which were discussed at length, including the authorisation of carbon credits, the scope of activities and the international carbon market registries.
A dedicated working session will take place before November to try to achieve more progress at the technical level and facilitate the work for the adoption of effective carbon markets by the COP. (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)