Daily report for 17 June 2025

The conferences of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) are more than a space for multilateral negotiations—they also provide opportunities for learning and networking. This proved to be a saving grace for many delegates: as lack of agreement on the agendas of the Subsidiary Bodies’ meetings continued to hold up the launch of negotiations, they could participate in one of the many events taking place throughout the day. The agendas were eventually adopted late in the afternoon, paving the way for substantive negotiations to start.

Opening Plenary

The resumption of the opening plenary of the UNFCCC’s Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) and Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) was delayed several times over. When it convened in the late afternoon, SBSTA Chair Adonia Ayebare (Uganda) requested parties and observers to reserve their statements until the closing plenary, assuring them that this would not set a precedent for the process. SBI Chair Julia Gardiner (Australia) acknowledged Indigenous Peoples’ continuing custodianship of land and waters, and paid respect to all Indigenous Peoples in the room.

Adoption of the Agendas: The COP 29 Presidency reported back from consultations on the Subsidiary Bodies’ agendas, outlining tentative agreement as follows:

• the SB Chairs will hold substantive consultations on Paris Agreement Article 9.1 (developed countries’ finance provision commitment), to consider substantive elements regarding the  implementation of Article 9.1, take stock of progress on these consultations at SB 62, and report back at SB 63 for parties’ consideration, with a view to determining a way forward, including potentially a standalone item on this item;
• on trade-restrictive unilateral measures, related issues will be discussed in relevant agenda items, including the just transition work programme, and a footnote will be added to the agenda item on the just transition work programme on the SBs’ agendas to this effect.

Parties adopted the SBI supplementary provisional agenda (FCCC/SBI/2025/5/Add.1) without inclusion of the proposed items on Article 9.1 and trade-restrictive unilateral measures, on the basis of the above understandings. Parties adopted the SBSTA supplementary provisional agenda (FCCC/SBSTA/2025/2/Add.1) without inclusion of the proposed item on trade-restrictive unilateral measures, on the basis of the above understandings.

The G-77/CHINA stressed developed countries’ obligation to significantly scale up the provision of public climate finance, noting this was one of their “core priorities.”

The LIKE-MINDED DEVELOPING COUNTRIES (LMDCs) expressed disappointment at developed countries’ reluctance to discuss their legal obligation to provide financial support to developing countries, underlining public finance from developed countries as essential for developing country implementation of the Paris Agreement. They stated their intention to revisit this issue at the 30th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP 30).

The EU lamented developed countries’ reluctance over its “positions and motivations being mischaracterized” and urged parties to respect all positions in a constructive spirit.

The AFRICAN GROUP highlighted the implementation of Article 9.1 as critical to their region, underscoring the need to address the provision of resources for nationally determined contributions (NDCs), national adaptation plans, and just transition. They also stressed their understanding that the agreement reached on the adoption of the SB 62 agendas does not prejudice parties’ rights to propose an agenda item on this issue at a later stage.

Noting that his intended opening remarks will be posted on the UNFCCC website, Executive Secretary Simon Stiell stressed that the 30 hours spent negotiating the agendas have been “hard and have not reflected the urgency we face.” He enjoined delegates to make swift progress across all aspects of the agendas now that consensus has been reached: “We need to demonstrate to the world that climate cooperation can deliver, now more than ever.”

Organization of Work: The SB Chairs outlined the format of substantive negotiations as follows. Contact groups will convene on: just transition; response measures; non-market approaches referred to in Paris Agreement Article 6.8; and arrangements for intergovernmental meetings. A contact group will also convene on administrative, financial, and institutional matters, with a spin-off group to consider the proposed budget for the Kyoto Protocol’s international transaction log for the biennium 2026–2027. 

Pointing to intersessional engagement, SBSTA Chair Ayebare reported parties’ interest in further discussions on the issue of cooperation with other international organizations and announced he would convene consultations on the matter. The consideration of the alignment between processes pertaining to the review of the Climate Technology Centre and Network and the periodic assessment of the Technology Mechanism was deferred to SBI 64. Informal consultations will convene on the remaining items.

Emissions from fuel used for international aviation and maritime transport: The SBSTA took note of the submission of the International Civil Aviation Organization and the submission of the International Maritime Organization.

Cooperation with other International Organizations: The SBSTA took note of the information note summarizing relevant cooperative activities (FCCC/SBSTA/2025/INF.1).

Other administrative, financial, and institutional matters: The Secretariat provided an update on the implementation of the Headquarters Agreement between the Government of Germany, the United Nations, and the UNFCCC. They underscored, among others: the registration for SB 62 was opened a month earlier than usual; improvements in visa issuance for delegates; and a biannual dialogue was initiated with Germany, as the host government. GERMANY noted it has provided an additional EUR 3.64 million to cover the amount needed to conduct SB 62. They also highlighted ongoing work with the Secretariat, delegates, and German consulates on the delivery of visas, pointing to challenges related to late applications. The SBI took note of the reports and agreed to consider the matter again at SBI 66.

Mandated Events

Seventeenth meeting of the Research Dialogue: At the outset of the meeting, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) provided an update on its Seventh Assessment Report. IPCC Chair Jim Skea highlighted that authors have been selected to work on the special report on cities and the methodology report on short-lived climate forcers. He announced that agreement is still pending on the scope of the methodology report on carbon dioxide removal technologies and carbon capture, utilization, and storage. The World Meteorological Organization shared insights from its State of the Global Climate 2024 report, highlighting that 2024 was the warmest year on record, 1.55°C (+/-0.13°C) above the 1850–1900 average.

Annual Dialogue on Ocean and Climate Change: Opening the two-day event, participants heard key messages from the third UN Ocean Conference, including the “Blue NDC Challenge” which calls on all countries to place the Ocean at the heart of their NDCs. Experts highlighted the need for a healthy Ocean, without which “we lose a key piece of the climate change solution.” Noting every available tool must be used to ensure achievement of the net zero target, they underlined ocean-based solutions as critical in this regard. Experts also identified pathways for bringing ocean action into NDCs, including by preserving blue carbon ecosystems such as mangroves and seagrass, and developing marine renewable energy. They stressed the critical importance of sustainable ocean planning, technology transfer, and access to data.

In the Corridors

On Tuesday, the announced plenary was pushed back several times yet again, holding the substantive agenda items hostage for hours on end. Leaving the plenary hall for the “umpteenth time,” some delegates wished to be “anywhere but here,” as the wait turned into “mild torture.” 

Some found refuge in mandated events, which drew bigger crowds than usual. Quickly filling up the sizable Genf room, the workshop on finance flow alignment had to open an overflow room to accommodate the high number of participants. Those interested in ocean-climate linkages were disappointed to see themselves relocated to a smaller-than-usual setting, thanks to the elusive opening plenary. Participants also flocked to a side event on the role of artificial intelligence in multilateral climate processes. “If only technology could speed up the negotiations,” noted a frustrated observer. “At least the mandated events reliably started on time,” another pointed out.

The resumed opening plenary finally convened 45 minutes before the scheduled end of the day, providing parties just enough time to agree on the agendas and organization of work. As the Executive Secretary emphasized, delegates now need to make up for lost time.