The 2023 Bonn Climate Change Conference will remain in participants’ memories for a number of reasons. The persistent lack of agreement over the Subsidiary Bodies’ agendas is a given. But the high number of mandated events taking place at the margins of the negotiations has also made this meeting memorable.
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With respect to the agendas, there was still no agreement in sight with only two days left before the end of the conference. Consultations moved back behind closed curtains, as the Chairs of the Subsidiary Bodies tried to sort out disagreement among Heads of Delegation. Negotiations remained largely undisturbed, however. Even the discussions on the most contentious item—the mitigation work programme—proceeded, albeit with some developing countries objecting to any effort by the Co-Facilitators to capture discussions in writing.
Considering the high number of mandated events, scheduling clashes with the negotiations were inevitable and delegates were at times spread thin across and beyond the venue. Finance negotiators spent a good portion of their day offsite, debating the particularly hot topic of the new collective quantified goal (NCQG) on finance.
The extent to which these mandated events tie back into the negotiations varies. Those interested in ocean issues certainly celebrated the annual ocean and climate change dialogue as an important step for strengthening the recognition of blue carbon ecosystems and the need to address adaptation in coastal areas.
Recalling the contentious plenary late Monday, many headed to the scheduled stocktaking plenary at the end of the day with some unease. The session served to highlight progress that was being made across issues, with many delegates noting the Subsidiary Bodies are moving towards acceptable outcomes on some key issues.
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All ENB photos are free to use with attribution. For the Bonn Climate Change Conference 2023, please use: Photo by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth.
Informal Consultations Throughout the Day
Informal consultations on the technology mechanism
Informal consultations on National Adaptation Plans (NAPs)
Co-Chairs Jens Fugl, Denmark, and Antwi Boasiko, Ghana
Delegates consult during the informal consultations on greenhouse gas data interface
Delegates gather for the informal consultations on the mitigation ambition and implementation work programme
Informal consultations on administrative, financial, and institutional matters
Co-Chairs Kishan Kumarsingh, Trinidad and Tobago, and Georg Børsting, Norway
Informal consultations on Article 6.4 (modalities and procedures)
Informal consultations on matters relating to capacity building
Global Stocktake Closing Plenary
View of the dais during the Global Stocktake closing plenary
Nabeel Munir, SBI Chair, and Harry Vreuls, SBSTA Chair
GST Co-Facilitators Harald Winkler, South Africa, and Farhan Akhtar, US
Yamikani Idriss, Malawi, on behalf of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs)
Lydie-Line Paroz, Switzerland
Felipe Castiblanco Monsalve, Colombia
Adriano Santhiago de Oliveira, Brazil, on behalf of Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay (ABU)
Ephraim Mwepya Shitima, Zambia, on behalf of the African Group
Greta Thunberg, global youth activist, reviews the visual representation of discussions held during the GST
Briefing on the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Ambition Summit
Delegates attend a briefing on the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Ambition Summit
Anne-Sophie Cerisola, Climate Action Team, Executive Office of the UN Secretary-General
A slide highlights the key focus areas for the Climate Ambition Summit 2023
Jeffrey Qi, International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)
Exsley Taloiburi, Solomon Islands
Delegates listen during the session
Global Stocktake High Level Committee Event
Delegates gather for the GST High Level Committee Event
Harry Vreuls, SBSTA Chair
Wael Aboulmagd, COP 27 Presidency
Adnan Amin, COP 28 Presidency
Nabeel Munir, SBI Chair
Rueanna Haynes, Trinidad and Tobago
Elizabeth Rowe, UK
Delegates raise their flags to speak
Delegates listen to the proceedings
Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue 2023
An Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue was held to create better linkages to ensure the protection of the Ocean
UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon Stiell
Peter Thomson, UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the Ocean
Vladimir Ryabinin, Executive Secretary, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, UNESCO
Tristan Tyrrell, Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
Co-Facilitators Niall O'Dea, Canada, and Julio Cordano, Chile
Tarub Bahri, Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO)
Delegates break out into groups to discuss a variety of topics related to ecosystem restoration including blue carbon, and fisheries and food security
Delegates share their thoughts
The different ideas are recorded
Delegates switched between groups throughout the afternoon to discuss a wide range of concepts
Informal Stocktaking by the SB Chairs
View of the dais during the informal stocktake
Franz Perrez, Switzerland, on behalf of the Environmental Integrity Group (EIG)
Mattias Frumerie, EU
Anne Rasmussen, Samoa, on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS)
Túlio Andrade, Brazil
Diego Pacheco, Bolivia, on behalf of Like-Minded Developing Countries (LMDCs)
Sally Box, Australia, on behalf of the Umbrella Group
Madeleine Rose Diouf Sarr, Senegal, on behalf of Least Developed Countries (LDCs)
Ana Patricia Villalobos Arrieta, Costa Rica, on behalf of the Independent Alliance of Latin America and the Caribbean (AILAC)
Daniele Violetti, Senior Director, UNFCCC
Civil Society Actions
As the debate about the SB agenda continues, members of civil society demonstrate in the corridors calling for decisive action to be taken on mitigation
A large action takes place in the corridors highlighting the connection between human rights and climate change
During the action, members of civil society named a number of environmental activists who have been imprisoned due to their activism, calling both for their release, and for human rights to be respected
Around the Venue
Harry Vreuls, SBSTA Chair, speaks with Andrew Ferrone, Luxembourg
UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon Stiell speaks with Adnan Amin, COP 28 Presidency
Nabeel Munir, SBI Chair, speaks with delegates from Egypt and Bolivia
Hernani Escobar Rodriguez, UNFCCC
Debra Roberts, IPCC Working Group II Co-Chair, and IPCC Chair candidate, speaks with delegates
Vladimir Ryabinin, Executive Secretary, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, UNESCO, Joanna Post, UNFCCC Secretariat, and Peter Thomson, UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the Ocean
