In preparation for COP30 on Climate Change, the 62nd Session of the Subsidiary Bodies (SB62) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was held from June 16 to 26 in Bonn, Germany.

This intersessional forum for technical discussions brought together member countries with the aim of advancing key issues of the climate agenda and arriving at COP30 – scheduled from November 10 to 21 in Belém, Brazil – with a solid basis for decision-making.

Among the main topics discussed were adaptation -a priority area for the Brazilian presidency of COP30-, financing and mitigation. These issues were addressed through various programs and negotiations, including the Global Stocktake (GST), the Mitigation Work Program (MWP) and the Just Transition Work Program (JTWP).

Climate Finance

Negotiations on climate finance delivered few certainties. The decision adopted at COP29 on the New Collective Quantified Collective Goal (NCQG) established the creation of the Baku to Belém Roadmap, with the aim of scaling up climate finance from US$300 billion to US$1.3 trillion per year. 

However, discussions in Bonn were limited to informal consultations, failing to address core issues (such as the quality, sources of funds and access mechanisms), and even a shared, clear definition of what constitutes climate finance. 

“This lack of definition opens the door to false solutions that do not respond to the real needs, especially those of developing countries,” explained Camila Mercure, coordinator of the Climate Policy area of the Environment and Natural Resources Foundation (FARN), who attended the meeting in Germany.

Adaptation

At COP29, negotiations began to operationalize the UAE Framework for Global Climate Resilience, which includes the Global Adaptation Goal. Discussions focused on the progress of the UAE-Belem Work Program, which is expected to conclude at COP30. Its main objective is to define a set of qualitative and quantitative indicators to assess the progress of adaptation actions undertaken by countries.

At SB62, discussions centered on the need to reduce the number of proposed indicators, while considering the means of implementation, particularly financing. After extensive debate, the adopted text mentions means of implementation indicators and stresses that there is no single approach to adaptation, reflecting the diversity of countries’ realities and needs.

«Looking ahead to COP30, adaptation is expected to be one of the main pillars of the negotiations. Extreme climate events affecting both developing and developed countries are becoming more frequent and severe, and require immediate action to avoid further losses and damages», said Victoria Laguzzi, member of FARN’s Climate Policy area.

Mitigation

Mercure indicated that the Work Program for a Just Transition closed with an ambitious text that includes demands from the Global South and civil society: guiding principles, participation of all interested and impacted parties, international cooperation and steps towards its operationalization. 

«Key discussions remain, such as the inclusion of fundamental sectors for a just and real transition in Latin America and other regions of the Global South, such as fossil fuels, renewable energies, agri-food systems, transportation and minerals for the transition, among others.  COP30 will be decisive in translating these advances into concrete actions focused on human rights, equity and the protection of biodiversity,» said Mercure.