Advancing the Adaptation Agenda: Key Outcomes and Challenges Faced
Through the Global Negotiations Support initiative and the Global Climate Change Policy Fellowship programme, SLYCAN Trust supports negotiators from the Global South in their engagement with the UNFCCC and other multilateral processes. Mabel Zúñiga is a young negotiator from Panama who works with the Climate Change Directorate of the Ministry of Environment of Panama and is a SLYCAN Trust fellow since 2024. These are her reflections from participating in the Bonn Climate Change Conference 2024 (SB60).
Introduction
This year, the 60th session of the Subsidiary Bodies of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) took place in Bonn, Germany, from June 3rd to June 13th, 2024.
Besides the annual meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP), this space represents one of the two crucial moments of the year when the member countries of the Convention, signatories of the Paris Agreement and the Kyoto Protocol, convene to discuss, negotiate, and agree on a roadmap to promote concrete and urgent actions to address the climate crisis. Furthermore, these meetings provide an ideal opportunity to engage other civil society stakeholders, climate activists, academics, and scientists in the global conversation about climate change. It is these voices that are calling for more ambitious and consistent action from decision-makers.
Preparation process
I had the opportunity to participate as a member of the national delegation of Panama and the negotiating group of the Independent Association of Latin America and the Caribbean (AILAC). For the third consecutive year, I followed up on the negotiation items under the Adaptation and Loss and Damage agenda. Each negotiation presents a unique set of challenges, learning opportunities, and potential for new knowledge and connections. This particular negotiation was no exception. As one delves deeper into the intricacies of the negotiation process, one gains a deeper understanding of the multifaceted role of a negotiator. The importance of comprehensive documentation and maintaining a keen awareness of developments becomes increasingly evident. Despite the negotiations taking place at two specific times of the year, there are numerous events and informal discussions that shape the discourse within the negotiation rooms.
The Word Conference Center and its halls are where the magic happens, although behind that "magic," there are hours and hours of informal consultations, informal-informal consultations, plenaries, and other mechanisms where delegates from almost 200 countries meet to discuss draft decision texts, reach consensus, and advance the ongoing efforts to conclude negotiations at COP29.
Adaptation outcomes
In discussions of adaptation, or "matters under the adaptation agenda," it is essential to recall Article 7 of the Paris Agreement. This article establishes several key considerations, including the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) aimed at enhancing adaptive capacity, strengthening resilience, and reducing vulnerability to climate change, with a view to contributing to sustainable development and ensuring an adequate adaptation response in the context of the temperature goal referred to in Article 2 of the Agreement.
This was one of the most significant and contentious issues under negotiation during the SB60 sessions. According to some elements of decision 2/CMA.5, this year the discussion centered on the modalities of the UAE-Belém Work Program on indicators. Countries emphasized the importance of setting clear guidelines for the prompt implementation of this work program underscoring the value of expert input in the process as this will enable the adoption of indicators at COP30 in Brazil.
There was a range of views on the involvement of experts. Some countries felt that all technical work should be carried out by the Adaptation Committee, which is the technical body for adaptation within the UNFCCC framework. Others proposed that expert groups should be formed for each target set out in decision 2/CMA.5. An additional option was to set up an “ad hoc” group through a formal nomination process.
The result was achieved following numerous negotiation sessions and a strong commitment by the countries to obtain a final outcome that would allow discussions to continue at SB61. Highlights of the conclusion include the invitation to the Adaptation Committee to undertake the identification of indicators communicated by the parties through their national reports and communications, the mandate to the SBs chair to convene technical experts for the indicator development process, and the organization of a hybrid workshop prior to the CMA.6.
National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) played a crucial role in the negotiation process, especially considering the outcomes of the First Global Stocktake (GST). This stocktaking exercise underscored the importance of countries submitting their NAPs to the UNFCCC and making substantial progress in their implementation by 2030. However, it is clear that countries in the Global South continue to face significant challenges due to a lack of resources to implement adaptation actions at the national and sub-national levels. Without an accelerated allocation of financial, technological, and capacity-building resources, implementing NAPs will be difficult. This poses a significant risk to our communities and livelihoods, making it imperative to address these challenges promptly and effectively.
Final reflections
Climate change negotiations can be challenging, tense, and, at times, frustrating as we feel that we are not making sufficient progress to urgently catalyze the action needed by our communities on the ground, especially those who are facing the devastating impacts of climate change firsthand. Nevertheless, even incremental and gradual progress is still a step in the right direction, demonstrating the value of international collaboration and the significance of multilateralism in addressing the climate crisis. The Paris Agreement’s objectives cannot be achieved in isolation; there is a need for collective action and support to reach these goals.
Young negotiators play a crucial role in advocating for an equitable, transparent, and fair process. We are also responsible for maintaining high ambition to ensure that countries in the Global South receive the necessary support to urgently advance national and subnational climate action.
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