Sometimes, being a big tent comes with a price. With every new issue that gets on the climate agenda—adaptation, Indigenous Peoples and local communities, gender—the actual meeting agenda grows longer. Each committee has reports to consider and next steps to plan. Keeping things manageable sometimes means splintering negotiations: several agenda items are considered at the same time in different negotiation rooms.
Want to go deeper? Read the Earth Negotiations Bulletin daily report.
This is a challenge for small delegations, who have to rely on coalitions with other countries to keep track of discussions and ensure their interests are represented. This time has been no different: when asked about her view of progress made so far at this meeting, one delegate said in earnest, “I have no idea! Maybe you should ask the US or EU. They are the only ones with large enough delegations to keep track of everything."
On Friday, many discussions held at the Bonn Climate Change Conference pertained to cleaning up some clutter to streamline future meeting agendas. With the operationalization of the Paris Agreement’s Enhanced Transparency Framework in reach, delegates agreed to discontinue the consideration of several agenda items related to reporting under the Convention. Agreement on ending work on additional items might well follow in the coming days—once delegates settle the question of how to handle possible future withdrawals from the Paris Agreement.
Such talks not only related to slashing ghost issues from agendas, but also keeping jargon at bay and enhancing clarity. Who would know that the “first periodic assessment referred to in paragraph 69 of decision 1/CP.21” is an issue related to technology? Against this background, the idea of clustering issues around headline items such as mitigation, adaptation, transparency, and finance is gaining serious traction.
The day’s discussions reflected increasing interest in reforming arrangements for how climate change conferences are conducted. Parties put forward a long wish list to SBI Chair Marianne Karlsen, including sending out push notifications when meeting times and places change—a recurring challenge. Bhutan suggested developing standard operating procedures for conference hosts to follow. However, whether these will be implemented remains to be seen.
All ENB photos are free to use with attribution. For UNFCCC SB56, please use: Photo by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth.
To receive free coverage of global environmental events delivered to your inbox, subscribe to the ENB Update newsletter.
Global Stocktake Dialogue
Delegates gather outside the meeting room for the first dialogue of the GST
Co-Facilitator Carlos Fuller, Belize
Co-Facilitator Farhan Akhtar, US
Noura Alissa, Saudi Arabia
Patrick Spicer, Canada
Two GST dialogues took place during the day
Richard Klein, Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI)
Jose Lavadenz, Environmental NGOs
Adriano Santhiago de Oliveira, Brazil
Quamrul Islam Chowdhury, Bangladesh
Delegates during the GST dialogue
Global Stocktake World Cafe
A world cafe is held in an effort to make the GST discussions engaging and informal, with delegates moving between 12 thematic tables to exchange views and ideas
Kamal Moustapha, International Labour Organization (ILO), records contributions
Juan Pablo Hoffmaister, Green Climate Fund
Contributions are recorded on a flip chart
Rueanna Haynes, Trinidad and Tobago
Informal Consultations Throughout the Day
Informal consultations on National Adaptation Plans
Informal consultations on methodological issues under the Convention
Informal consultations on the guidance on cooperative approaches referred to in Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement
Delegates consult during the informal consultations on matters relating to Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE)
Informal consultations on matters relating to the work programme for urgently scaling up mitigation ambition and implementation
Co-Facilitators Carlos Fuller, Belize, and Kay Harrison, New Zealand
Informal consultations on the Nairobi Work Programme
COP 27 Logistics Briefing
View of the dais during the COP 27 logistics briefing by the incoming Presidency
Joseph Aitaro, Palau
Sherif Salem, COP 27 Logistics
Members of civil society raise their placards to make an intervention
Tasneem Essop, Climate Action Network (CAN)
SB Chairs' Dialogue with Observers
Tosi Mpanu Mpanu, SBSTA Chair, and Marianne Karlsen, SBI Chair, hold an open dialogue with observer delegates
Delegates take notes during the session
Harjeet Singh, CAN
Xan Northcott, YOUNGO
Ceris Jones, Farmers
Civil Society Actions
As the informal consultations of the Koronivia joint work on agriculture continue, members of civil society demonstrate in the corridors, calling for a vegan diet to help address climate change
In a second demonstration, members of civil society sing in the corridors, calling for more finance for ACE initiatives
As negotiations continue inside, members of the Bonn Fridays for Future protest outside the building
20th Anniversary of the Environmental Integrity Group
Members of the Environmental Integrity Group (EIG) celebrate their 20-year anniversary
A joint EIG and IISD publication highlights the work done by EIG in the climate negotiations
Franz Perrez, Switzerland
Delegates enjoy the reception hosted by EIG
Ovais Sarmad, Chhaya Kapilashrami, and Daniele Violetti, UNFCCC
Around the Venue
Delegates from the Technical University of Catalonia
Delegates from the health community
Delegates around the venue
