Many of the crucial agenda items, such as the Global Stock Take, Global Goal on Adaptation and the hosting of the Santiago Network for Loss and Damage, among others, did not see much progress
Photo: UN Climate (IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth). It seemed like the negotiations at the Subsidiary Bodies 58 conference (SB 58) in Bonn got saved in the nick of time on the second last day (June 14), when the parties finally adopted the agenda for the meeting. But major differences between the developing and developed countries remain unresolved at the closing plenary on June 15.
Many of the crucial agenda items, such as the Global Stock Take (GST), Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) and the hosting of the Santiago Network for Loss and Damage, among others, did not see much progress.
The fundamental contentions between the two groups of countries are the importance of the principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities, respective capabilities and historical responsibilities, as well as the transfer of means of implementation, finance and technology from the developed to the developing countries as mandated in the Paris climate agreement.
Also read: High road to Dubai COP28: Here is how Global Stocktake talks fared in week 1 at Bonn
Both of these were highlighted by Cuba on behalf of the G77 and China group and many other countries, such as Bolivia, on behalf of Like-Minded Developing Countries.
The agenda was adopted without the contentious Mitigation Work Programme (MWP), an item introduced by the European Union. It had been the main issue among parties that delayed the agenda’s adoption. The parties decided there would be an informal note on MWP rather than a formal agenda item.
For many developing country groups, the main problem with the MWP was that it detailed new targets for countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions without talking about the means of implementation.
On GGA, Parties have still not agreed whether to put enabling conditions in the text or means of implementation. Parties are yet to agree upon whether there should be overarching targets and separate specific targets for the GGA or just shared adaptation priorities under the framework. Parties have also not agreed on having a section on finance and budgetary provisions.
There was no draft conclusion in the text on selecting the secretariat of the Santiago network for averting, minimising and addressing loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change — the body that would provide technical assistance to the parties on loss and damage. It would be taken up at the 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Dubai later in 2023.
Parties also highlighted during their interventions at the closing plenary that the second Glasgow Dialogue that took place at the SB 58 sessions should be able to inform the work of the Transitional Committee for the full operationalisation of the Loss and Damage Fund. The fund should be new, additional, adequate and predictable for the countries vulnerable to both rapid onset events such as tropical cyclones and slow onset processes such as sea level rise, they noted.
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