The annual Bonn Climate Change Conference is currently taking place in Bonn, serving as a temporary halt on the road to Baku for the next two weeks. Although this conference may not generate the same level of interest as the Conference of the Parties (COP), it is nonetheless a significant milestone. This is the location where the technical work, committee meetings, important discussions, and agenda planning for COP29 occur. With the momentum generated by the significant COP28 promise to shift away from fossil fuels, there is a substantial amount of work that has to be accomplished at the summit.
The Bonn Climate Change Conference 2024 will entail the following 5 anticipated occurrences:
1.Ending one cycle of NDCs and preparing for another:
The decade-long period of Nationally Determined payments (NDCs), consisting of two sets of five-year payments, is nearing its conclusion. The commencement of the third cycle is scheduled for 2025, and the Paris Agreement mandates that participating nations must progressively increase their level of ambition in each subsequent cycle. Nevertheless, the initial Global Stocktake of COP28 determined that, despite advancements in mitigation, adaptation, and methods of implementation and support, parties are not making sufficient progress to attain the objectives outlined in the Paris Agreement. The meeting will elucidate the precise implications of the Global Stocktake’s conclusions for the upcoming Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Country representatives must also focus on ensuring transparency and accountability in reporting, and be prepared to resolve any remaining difficulties related to carbon markets and voluntary cooperation arrangements.
2. Priming the new climate finance target:
In 2015, negotiators reached an agreement to establish a “new collective quantified goal on climate finance” (NCQG) as a replacement for the current aim. The adoption of the NCQG is scheduled for this year at COP29 in Azerbaijan. The discussions will focus on addressing challenging issues related to the quantity and quality of climate funding required. The new objective is to build upon the previous target by mobilising 100 billion USD from affluent nations for the purpose of implementing climate action in developing nations. Discussions in Bonn will also address previous experiences, such as the fact that the original aim was only accomplished in 2022, which is two years after the intended date, and the question of who should contribute. Ensuring substantial climate finance is crucial for the enhancement of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) beyond 2025.
3. Zooming in on climate change impacts on children and mountains
The Bonn Climate Change Conference also covers a new set of mandated events. For the first time Expert Dialogues are taking place on the topics of climate change and children and mountains. An Expert Dialogue on children and climate change will assess the specific challenges children face due to climate change including food security and disruptions to education. The discussions will cover possible policy options. Similarly, over two days, parties are looking at climate and mountains, highlighting climate impacts in sensitive areas and discussing options to accelerate climate action to aid mountainous regions.
4. Renewed focus on the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA)
The GGA is designed to ensure an adequate adaptation response to protect people, livelihoods and ecosystems as the world aims to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. In Bonn, emphasis will be placed on the establishment of a new work programme on indicators for measuring progress on the GGA. At COP28, countries agreed on the goal’s overarching framework including global adaptation goals. However, ways to mobilize finance as well as concrete targets are lacking. For the most vulnerable to benefit from the GGA, negotiators need to resolve these current shortcomings.
5. Wrapping up the Glasgow Dialogues and scaling up loss and damage action
The third and final Glasgow Dialogue (GD3) will occur with a specific emphasis on improving cooperation, advancing progress, and expanding finance arrangements. The conversations are coordinated in collaboration with the Warsaw International Mechanism (WIM), which is also anticipated to facilitate progress. The parties will collaborate to establish the terms of reference (ToR) for the 2024 review. The overall decision should incorporate the findings from COP26, COP27, COP28, and the inaugural meeting of the Santiago Network Advisory Board. This is considered a crucial chance to enhance the WIM, enhance coordination for the recently established Loss and Damage Fund and funding structure, and increase financial assistance within the developing framework of loss and damage governance.