The Bonn Intersessional, also known as the Bonn Climate Change Conference, serves as a preparatory meeting for the annual Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The Intersessional takes place next week, running between 5th and 15th June.
The Bonn talks represent the last big milestone in the climate negotiations before the culmination of the first Global Stocktake under the Paris Agreement at COP 28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Here are some reasons why the Bonn Intersessional is significant:
- Opportunity to reflect: It will provide an opportunity to collectively reflect on where the world stands in terms of addressing climate change. To this effect, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) will present insights from the Synthesis Report of its Sixth Assessment cycle, which was published in March 2023.
- Preparing for the COP: The Intersessional will provide an opportunity for negotiators from member countries to discuss and make progress on key issues before COP28. Allowing them to review the implementation of previous agreements, exchange ideas, and draft texts for negotiation at the upcoming COP.
- Negotiation and Consensus Building: The intersessional offers a platform for parties to negotiate and reach consensus on various climate-related topics. The UNFCCC’s Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) and Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) meetings will feature the kick-off of negotiations on the work programme on just transition pathways agreed to at COP 27 and the continuation of negotiations on a range of other issues. Among other things, the SBSTA and the SBI are expected to make a recommendation as to a suitable host for the Santiago Network on Loss and Damage’s secretariat.
- Technical Workstreams: The Intersessional also facilitates the work of various technical bodies and workstreams under the UNFCCC. These bodies address specific topics, such as the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA), which focuses on developing rules and guidelines for implementing the Paris Agreement. The Intersessional allows these bodies to report on their progress and receive feedback from member countries. At the request of the European Union, the Sharm el-Sheikh mitigation ambition and implementation work programme was added to the meeting’s provisional agendas. This could provide room to build on the momentum around the idea of adopting a goal on renewable energy deployment that crystalised at the Petersberg Climate Dialogue.
- Engagement with Non-State Actors: The Bonn Intersessional provides a platform for engagement with non-state actors, including civil society organizations, business representatives, and academia. It allows them to contribute their perspectives, share best practices, and showcase innovative solutions. This engagement enhances the inclusiveness and transparency of the climate negotiations.
- Capacity-Building and Knowledge Sharing: This year the SB meeting will give way to a flurry of workshops and dialogue events—on big ticket issues such as loss and damage, mitigation, and adaptation, but also on Indigenous Peoples, gender, and the ocean, and more technical issues, such as reporting tools.The Bonn intersessional plays a crucial role in advancing international climate negotiations, and allows parties to refine their positions, build consensus, and make progress on key issues, ultimately shaping the outcomes of the annual COP meetings and advancing global efforts to address climate change.
*Climate Events in June 2023
- 5 – 15 – Bonn Climate Conference SB58 (Bonn, Germany)
- International conference on a New Global Financing Pact (a.k.a Mia Mottley Summit) – 22-23 June 2023, Paris
- 6 – 8 – IEA 8th Global Conference on Energy Efficiency (Paris, France)
- 13 – 16 – Asian Clean Energy Forum (Manila, Philippines)
- 16 – 18 – G7 Transport Ministers’ Meeting (Ise-Shima, Japan)
- 22 – 23 – New Global Financial Pact Summit (Paris, France)
- 26 – 30 – IMO Intersessional Working Group (ISWG-GHG-15) (London, UK)
