Negotiations Through the Expert’s Perspective: The Bonn Climate Change Conference

Inga Kononovich, a researcher at the International and Comparative Law Research Center, participated as an observer in the sixty second sessions of the Subsidiary Bodies of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (SB 62), which serves as a preparatory stage for the 30th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 30) to be held in Brazil. We share Inga’s reflections on the course and outcomes of the negotiations held from 16 to 26 June in Bonn, Germany.

How did the discussions unfold?

At the SB sessions, countries work on the technical aspects of unresolved issues from previous COPs and lay the groundwork for future decisions. More about the UNFCCC negotiation process can be found in the ICLRC’s information note.

The start of the session in Bonn was delayed by almost two days due to difficulties in adopting the Subsidiary Bodies' agendas. Despite being a procedural issue, this delay is substantively significant: it reflects ongoing disagreements over the negotiation agenda and highlights the increasing complexity of topics at the intersection of climate, economic, and trade policies.

Discussions during this stage centered on a proposal by developing countries to include the implementation of Article 9.1 of the Paris Agreement on the agenda, thereby emphasizing developed countries’ obligations to provide predictable climate finance.

Global South countries also insisted on addressing trade-restrictive unilateral measures such as the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. However, neither proposal gained consensus support and both were excluded as standalone agenda items.

What was in focus and where do the main tensions lie?

From the very first day, finance emerged as one of the most contentious issues, even though it was not listed as a separate agenda item. Finance remains a cross-cutting theme in climate negotiations. Throughout SB 62, developing countries consistently raised concerns about the lack of sufficient financial support from developed countries, including during consultations on the "Baku–Belém Roadmap to 1.3 T".

Important technical work on adaptation was carried out in Bonn, setting the stage for what is expected to become a key theme at the upcoming COP 30 in Belém. Unlike finance track, discussions on the Global Goal on Adaptation proceed in a more constructive manner. Countries sought to formulate recommendations for a set of indicators to track progress toward the adaptation goals under Article 7.1 of the Paris Agreement. A consensus gradually emerged around a two-tiered structure: headline universally applicable indicators and additional voluntary sub-indicators tailored to national circumstances.

In contrast, the process of defining the modalities of the UAE dialogue on the implementing the global stocktake (GST) outcomes, concluded at COP 28 in Dubai, was chaotic and inconsistent. Under the Paris Agreement, the GST is meant not only to assess collective progress but also to inform future national action. A lack of shared understanding on the mandate and objectives of the UAE dialogue, coupled with divergent views on collective vs. individual action, prevented a substantive outcome. These debates highlighted the need for institutional clarity on how GST decisions are to be operationalized — especially in light of the expected submission of new Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs 3.0) by Parties in 2025.

Looking ahead

While sessions in Bonn are traditionally technical and do not conclude with headline-grabbing agreements, they are a critical step in laying the groundwork for decisions to be taken at the main meeting — the Conference of the Parties. The next COP session will take place in Belém from 10 to 21 November 2025 under Brazil’s presidency and will mark the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the Paris Agreement.