By Merve Berker
The opening ceremony of the UN Bonn Climate Change Conference had to be suspended on Monday for a while as two pro-Palestinian demonstrators took the stage to protest Israeli attacks on Gaza.
Climate talks in Bonn, Germany, were disrupted as the activists raised a Palestinian flag and a banner with the slogan “No BAU (business as usual) during a genocide” during the opening speech by Simon Steele, director of the UN Climate Convention.
No flags or banners were allowed at the event.
After they were taken out by the UN security, the chair resumed the plenary, saying: “The situation has been normalized.”
In his opening speech, Steele started his words by mentioning the Paris Agreement. “The design phase is completed.”
“And our task now is to put that machinery to work fully and fairly,” he said, adding: “Crucially, we need every part of this machinery fully functioning and working coherently together.”
He underlined the need to “make serious progress on finance,” describing it as “the great enabler of climate action.”
“Here in Bonn, I urge you to move from Zero Draft to real options for a new collective quantified goal on finance,” he stressed.
“We can't afford to return home with unfinished tasks,” he said, calling on all to make every single hour at the event count.
“We need more climate finance while we negotiate a future goal,” he noted.
The official further mentioned that advancements in one area support the other as new grants and highly concessional financing for developing nations should align with global financial restructuring.
“We must also move towards better carbon markets by making progress on Article 6 here in Bonn,” he said, referring to how countries can pursue voluntary cooperation to reach their climate targets under the article as it enables international cooperation to tackle climate change and unlock financial support for developing countries.
“Getting these markets to work can unlock more funding for national climate plans and adaptation,” he said, adding: “That's why we convened in parties and stakeholders during these meetings to build consensus on a way forward at COP29 or nationally determined contributions.”
Steele also stressed that the scope should be broader, encompassing entire economies and all greenhouse gas emissions, with alignment to the 1.5-degree goal.
Underlining that the “benefits should flow to all, including women, Indigenous peoples, youth, and those most vulnerable to climate impact hitting right now,” the official underlined: “There is no one-size-fits-all after all, they are nationally determined and we know many parties will need help putting them together, especially the most vulnerable nations.”
- Tools to support countries in fulfilling climate promises
The UN Development Programme will launch practical tools to support countries in fulfilling their climate promises, he pointed out.
This includes the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) 3.0 navigator, developed with the NDC partnership, aiding parties in accessing information and tools for developing new NDCs with a focus on real implementation and transparency under the Paris Agreement, he said.
Parties are expected to submit their first biannual transparency reports this year, which will bolster evidence for ambition and signal opportunities and needs to donors and investors, the official highlighted.
He also said that the reporting tool will be finalized and available for all parties by June 30 as scheduled.
“Let's not allow perfection to be the enemy of the good,” he suggested. “We're here to help you take that crucial first step, particularly through extensive capacity building and we will work with you to improve your reports over time on impacts and adaptation.”
- ‘Gender equality and climate action must rise in tandem’
“Climate change impacts are not isolated events,” he stressed, adding that they transcend borders, disproportionately harming women and vulnerable groups.
He further underscored the necessity for comprehensive national adaptation plans spanning all sectors.
“To date, only 57 parties have put together a plan,” he criticized, underlining that this number has to grow until COP29 in Baku.
He said: “We need every country to have a plan by 2025 and make progress on implementing them by 2030.”
The challenge is to activate climate action machinery thoroughly and fairly, ensuring equitable benefits through a just transition, with civil society playing a crucial role in ensuring inclusivity and accountability, he highlighted.
“If we want to leave behind business as usual, gender equality and climate action must rise in tandem … to ensure safe space for meaningful and inclusive participation,” he said.
“Parties have tasked us with delivering approximately 20% more mandated events during this June session compared to last year, reflecting a consistent increase in mandates each year,” he expressed.
Financial contributions have not kept pace with these growing mandates, with many existing funding pledges remaining unfulfilled, he said.
“This approach has its logical and human limits and growing costs,” he maintained. “But we still need sustainable and consistent funding to meet all your needs and these growing mandates.”
“What you and people like you have achieved in the past three decades through this UN convening process is cause for pride and renewed purpose,” Steele praised in the face of numerous challenges and moments of discouragement that climate change brings.
- Catastrophic warming
“Without global cooperation, we risk catastrophic warming up to five degrees, with current trends indicating around 2.7 degrees,” he indicated. “This is still ruinously high.”
“As we approach the halfway point towards our shared goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees this century, we must recognize the steep road ahead and the need for accelerated climate action,” he said.
There's no room for rest stops or setbacks at this pivotal juncture, the official warned.
“We must uphold trust, respect, and full adherence to the code of conduct, focusing on finding solutions and forging pathways forward as we hand over the process to the co-chairs,” he added.
Following Steele, Brazilian and Russian delegations also took the microphone.
Approximately, 6,000 attendees, primarily comprising representatives from national delegations and civil society organizations, will convene in Bonn, Germany from June 3 to June 13.
These meetings, organized by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) at its headquarters, aim to sustain the momentum of addressing urgent climate issues between COP sessions.
This gathering serves as the UNFCCC's sole regular climate summit apart from the COP meetings.
The agenda of this year’s Bonn meeting includes a wide range of topics such as climate finance, national climate action plans, facilitating an equitable shift from fossil fuels, and national adaptation strategies, among others.
The outcome of these negotiations is expected to significantly shape the decisions taken at the 28th UN Climate Change Conference.
The next UN Climate Change Conference will be held in Azerbaijan’s capital Baku on Nov. 11-22.