The Bonn Climate Change Conference is coming at a critical point after the major COP28 witnessed in Dubai hence acting as a midpoint between the previous and upcoming COP meetings and preceding the G7 Summit in Italy. This conference occurs during a significant electoral year, amidst ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine.

Negotiation Focus Areas

Negotiations at Bonn will address:

• Climate finance
• Global Stocktake (GST)
• Adaptation
• Loss and damage
• Mitigation
• Just Transition
• Cooperative approaches
• Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)

Climate Finance

Post-COP28, 2024 is a pivotal year for climate finance since the Global Stock Take preceded it in 2023 about nine years after the Paris Agreement was adopted. Despite narratives framing climate finance reform as overly complex and costly, progress has been proven achievable.

Developed countries, particularly the G7, pose major obstacles, whereas developing nations, especially the G77+China, advocate for a robust climate finance goal. The new climate finance goal (NCQG), crucial for COP29’s success, must be established by year-end to drive transformational change and address developing countries’ needs.

Global Stocktake (GST)

The GST, mandated by the Paris Agreement, assesses collective progress towards climate goals every five years. This year marks the second phase of aligning climate action with the 1.5°C target. Successful implementation depends on resolving finance issues at COP29 in Azerbaijan and discussions at Bonn’s 60th Subsidiary Bodies meeting (SB60).

1.5°C and Fair Shares

Justice must be central to climate action and energy transitions as the critical decade for maintaining the 1.5°C threshold progresses. This entails equitable distribution of carbon budgets and financial responsibilities, primarily by historic polluters, to ensure fair outcomes for developing countries.

Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)

The upcoming period is crucial for finalizing the next round of NDCs by 2025. Increasing climate impacts highlight the urgency of designing fair and effective net-zero transitions, avoiding reliance on unproven technologies. This phase is a pivotal opportunity to align actions with the 1.5°C target.

Civil Society Participation

The diminishing presence of civil society at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) events is concerning as pointed out over the meetings with cases where during the loss and damage committee meetings there were calls on no representation of civil society in the sessions.

Reversing this trend is essential for moral and practical reasons, considering that lobbying organizations are important since they represent most of the community’s voices and issues. Notably, this is also in line with the Arrangements for Intergovernmental Meetings (AIM) conclusions from SB58 in 2023 and emphasis is made on the need to embrace their presence at the Bonn Climate Change Conference.

Climate Action Network (CAN) Demands

Climate Action Network has shared some of the important questions or puzzles that need solutions and answers developed in the Bonn Climate Change Conference, in response to these challenges and issues that are faced globally.

Given the impending NCQG finance negotiations at COP29 and NDC submissions before COP30, CAN emphasizes the need for justice, equity, and fairness in negotiations. Key demands include:

On Climate Finance (NCQG):

1. Align the goal with climate justice and the evolving needs of developing countries.
2. Ensure climate finance is additional to Official Development Assistance (ODA).
3. Avoid exacerbating developing countries’ debt burdens.
4. Include clear public finance targets for mitigation, adaptation, and loss & damage.
5. Implement transparency and accountability measures.
6. Develop a burden-sharing mechanism for developed countries.
7. Explore new funding through progressive taxation, including wealth and ‘polluters-pay’ taxes.

On Just Transition Work Programme (JTWP):

1. Use JTWP to identify opportunities for scaling up Just Transition.
2. Improve inclusion of rights holders in JTWP processes.
3. Establish a Joint Party-Observers Advisory Body for balanced stakeholder representation.
4. Allocate intersessional time for the Advisory Body to steer JTWP work.

On Adaptation:

1. Create a roadmap for the UAE-Belem Work Programme.
2. Address inadequate adaptation finance with locally-led approaches.
3. Accelerate access to grant-based finance for developing countries.
4. Align National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) with the Global Goal of Adaptation Framework.
5. Track and evaluate financial resources from developed to developing countries.

On Loss and Damage:

1. Use the Glasgow Dialogue to operationalize the Loss & Damage Fund (LDF).
2. Prepare capitalization and fundraising strategies for the LDF.
3. Include L&D finance in the NCQG with a specific grants sub-goal.

On Global Stocktake Dialogue (GST):

1. Ensure inclusive participation of observers.
2. Focus on implementation tools and methodologies.
3. Guide Nationally Determined Contributions(NDC) responses to GST outcomes.
4. Address challenges in ending fossil fuel expansion.
5. Explore non-mitigation elements and equitable NCQG contributions