COP 31 : What to retain from the technical discussions in Bonn

What to retain from the technical

The sixty-fourth technical session in Bonn ended on 18 June with “progress”, notably on the just transition, notes Simon Stiell, UN Executive Secretary for Climate, at the close of discussions. He also welcomes the announcements made by the presidency of COP 31. “We heard the COP 31 Presidency announce targets on electrification, urban resilience, energy efficiency and waste management as part of the Agenda for Action,” he describes.

Funding without concrete answers

But, as many observers observe, questions about funding remain without concrete answers. “There are still major discrepancies,” notes the senior climate official, Simon Stiell.

For Andreas Sieber, head of the political strategy of the NGO 350.org, the negotiations have not succeeded. It “has failed” especially on the tripling of funding for adaptation, he says.

“Developed countries focus much of the discussions on technical processes under the Global Adaptation Goal to avoid commitments to increase funding,” explains Sieber.

Approved decisions on hold

Representing 44 countries, the Least Developed Countries want the decisions previously approved to be respected. These decisions include those on funding the tripling of adaptation by 2035. The other point granted in abeyance is on the climate finance work program, in connection with Article 9.

According to this article, developed countries commit themselves to providing financial resources to help developing countries. In accordance with the Paris agreement. Funding must enable developing countries to address climate change.

“COP31 must allow for easier access to climate finance, especially for the most vulnerable countries,” says the Chair of the Group of Least Developed Countries, Adão Soares Barbosa, Ambassador of Timor-Leste. The LDC group calls for accelerating the implementation of the Global Adaptation Goal and calls for better coordination of previous actions.

“It was extremely disappointing that no progress could be made in this session,” he laments. And to emphasize: “The operationalization of the Belém adaptation indicators and the promotion of the Belém-Addis Vision were nevertheless agreed at COP30.”

By Houmi Ahamed