Syllabus: 

GS3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment.

Context: 

Recently, the annual Bonn Climate Change Conference began as more than 5,000 government delegates and stakeholders gathered in Bonn, Germany.

More on the News

• The meeting, scheduled to conclude on June 26, will cover various topics, including how to raise funds to fight climate change.
• A key discussion point is the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA), aimed at setting a unified global target for adaptation, similar to the 1.5°C limit for mitigation. 
• Though GGA was set in the 2015 Paris Agreement, a breakthrough came only at COP28 in Dubai with the adoption of a framework to define it. 

Bonn Climate Change Conference

• It is an annual mid-year meeting that takes place under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), an international agreement, signed in 1992, that has provided a basis for climate negotiations. 
• The conference is formally known as the Sessions of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies (SBs). Along with the annual Conference of the Parties (COP), it is the only other regular climate summit hosted by the UNFCCC.
• It is attended by the members of SBs, essentially committees that assist UNFCCC’s governing bodies in implementing and reviewing climate change agreements. 
• The meeting is also attended by Indigenous representatives, international organisations, scientists, and civil society representatives.

Objective

• The conference focuses on technical climate issues and sets the agenda for the upcoming COP.
• Negotiation outcomes in Bonn strongly influence COP decisions, with SB recommendations often reflected in the final agreements.
• The Bonn Climate Conference is the venue where the implementation of agreements set at the previous COP is discussed.

Key Features

The meeting is led by the Subsidiary bodies (SBs) of the UNFCCC. 

There are two permanent SBs of the UNFCCC, which are:

• The Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) 
• The Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA).

SBI assists UNFCCC governing bodies in the assessment and review of the implementation of their decisions. It also facilitates discussions on financial and technical support to developing countries that are party to the UNFCCC.

SBSTA advises governing bodies on scientific knowledge related to climate change. “It serves as the 'link' between scientific advisors at the IPCC and policymakers serving in party delegations at the COPs. 

Mains Practise Question

What is the significance of the Bonn Climate Change Conference in the global climate negotiation process? Critically examine its role in shaping the agenda for COP summits, particularly in advancing the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA). (15M,250W)