GS Paper III
News Excerpt:
Delegates from 198 countries are meeting in Bonn, Germany to prepare for COP29 to be held in Baku, Azerbaijan in November 2024.
What is the Bonn Climate Change Conference?
- It is a significant event hosted by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) at its headquarters in Bonn, Germany.
- It is one of the two regular climate summits organised by the UNFCCC, with the other being the annual Conference of the Parties (COP).
- This year, the conference is being held from 3 to 13 June and has gathered around 6,000 participants, including national delegations and civil society groups including Intergovernmental organisations and UN agencies.
- It also includes observers from youth, Indigenous groups, and industry representatives.
Purpose and Importance:
- The Bonn Climate Change Conference serves as a critical waypoint leading up to the annual COP.
- It provides an opportunity for parties to negotiate mechanisms for implementing the agreements made at the previous COP.
- During these inter-sessional meetings, participants work on the language and draft conclusions to be submitted as formal recommendations at the next COP, ensuring the ongoing effectiveness of climate action discussions and decisions.
Key Issues on the Table:
- Climate Finance: Strategies for financing climate action and supporting developing countries in their climate efforts.
- New Climate Finance Goal: COP29 aims to set a new climate finance target for post-2025, focusing on mitigation, adaptation, and loss and damage.
- Intermediary Goals: Discussions will include intermediate spending targets and the form of finance, such as grants or loans.
- National Climate Action Plans: Review and enhancement of countries’ commitments and plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet climate targets.
- Just Transition Away from Fossil Fuels: Ensuring a fair and equitable transition for workers and communities affected by the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources.
- National Adaptation Plans: Developing and implementing plans for countries to adapt to the impacts of climate change, enhancing resilience and reducing vulnerability.
Progress on Loss and Damage
- Glasgow Dialogue: The third and final session of the Glasgow Dialogue will occur in Bonn, focusing on funding arrangements to address climate-related loss and damage.
- Loss and Damage Fund: Operationalized at COP28, this fund is hosted by the World Bank with no obligatory contributions from developed countries.
- Dialogue Objectives: While there are no specific goals for the final session, discussions will continue on the fund’s implementation and related issues.
Importance of Bonn Agreements
- Agreements in Bonn are crucial for defining post-2025 climate finance and advancing loss and damage funding mechanisms.
- Both parties and non-party stakeholders will contribute to ongoing discussions, impacting future climate finance strategies.
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UNFCCC
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