Was Bonn climate talk promising for upcoming COP30?

This year's June Climate Meetings (SB62), also known as the Bonn Climate Change Conference, under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), concluded on June 26 in Bonn, Germany. The mission of these annual midyear meetings is to draft decision texts on the agenda items for final approval at the upcoming Conference of the Parties-30 (COP30), to be held in November in Belém, Brazil. Overall, the agenda comprised approximately 50 items and 30 mandatory events.

- BY DR MIZAN R KHAN

However, actual negotiations were delayed due to disagreements over the addition of two new agenda items proposed by the powerful Like-Minded Developing Countries (LMDCs) and the Arab Group, consisting of China, India, South Africa, Bolivia, and Saudi Arabia. The first proposal focused on Article 9.1 of the Paris Agreement (PA), which addresses the obligation of developed countries to provide public climate finance to developing nations. This was a point of contention, as developing countries argue it is a legal obligation that has not been adequately met. The second agenda item proposed was on trade measures, such as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), that the EU is considering imposing on developing country exports. Finally, a compromise was struck whereby those items were not agreed upon but were reflected in discussions.

This time, the agendas of the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) and Just Transition were prominent. The earlier debate over indicators of the GGA, particularly of "Means of Implementation", such as climate finance, capacity-building, and technology, continued because developed countries reject indicators that can measure their support levels. Finally, a compromised text was adopted: "indicators for means of implementation and other factors that enable the implementation of adaptation action are to be included..."