25/07/2025
The technical mid-year meetings like SB62, the 62nd session of the Subsidiary Bodies to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was known as the Bonn Climate Change Conference, opened on June 16th in Bonn, Germany and served as the only formal negotiation space ahead of COP30.
The SB sessions are where Parties revisit technical details and unresolved issues from previous COPs and where groundwork is laid for decisions to be negotiated and adopted at the COP that follows later each year. This year, SB62 took on heightened significance: coming off the back of a bruising COP29 and amid growing geopolitical and economic challenges, it tested the multilateral climate regime’s ability to rebuild trust and deliver concrete progress. With COP30 envisioned as a “pivot point” for climate action by the Brazilian Presidency, the SB62 outcomes was critical in defining the shape of negotiations in Belém. The Presidency has made clear its desire to elevate adaptation as a key priority at COP30, making it a likely focal point at SB62 as countries work to build momentum and consensus ahead of the summit.
SB62 refered to the 62nd session of the two permanent bodies under the UNFCCC: The Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) and the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI).
Delegates gather to hear about the roadmap to achieving USD1.3 trillion in climate finance
While the SBs don’t adopt decisions, they are vital for the functioning of the international climate regime, featuring technical negotiations, which fall under the responsibility of the two SB chairs, and in-session workshops, dialogues and other mandated events. At SB62, negotiators worked in multiple parallel tracks, developing draft conclusions that was further negotiated at COP30 in Belém, Brazil for formal adoption as decisions.
For adaptation, this technical work is crucial: it’s where frameworks for planning, tracking, financing, and implementation, are assessed and refined. The outcomes of SB62 shaped how adaptation was framed and prioritized in the run-up to COP30, but potentially far beyond. SB62 also represented a crucial opportunity to rebuild trust and enhance collaboration among Parties following the bruising COP29 negotiations. COP29 left many developing countries disillusioned, with concerns about transparency, equity, and an overrepresentation of fossil fuel lobbyists. In response, the Brazilian COP30 Presidency had emphasized restoring a productive and constructive negotiation environment at SB62, one that can foster unity and concrete outcomes. This setup of different observers, Parties, and UN staff at the conference is identical to the COP and the badge system identifying individuals’ respective status is the same.
While negotiators negotiate and observers observed, there are opportunities for all groups to participate in side events, informal consultations, workshops, and bilateral meetings. While negotiations were typically closed to the public, many side events and briefings are livestreamed, offering a window into the process.
The Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) and the UAE-Belém Work Programme
A major focus at SB62 is advancing operationalization of the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) – established under Article 7 of the Paris Agreement to enhance adaptive capacity, strengthen resilience and reduce vulnerability to climate change. At COP28, countries adopted the UAE Framework for Global Climate Resilience, aimed at defining and measuring progress towards the GGA, and launched the UAE-Belém work programme. The central task of the work programme is to develop a robust set of no more than 100 indicators that can measure and track collective progress toward the targets agreed in the framework, across areas like health, food systems, biodiversity, infrastructure, and governance. Technical experts have been working since late 2024 to define a short-list of indicators from the thousands submitted by Parties and Observers, and SB62 hosted both technical discussions and political negotiations to assess and refine these indicators. The priority (and challenge) was to create a set of indicators that are specific enough to be meaningful, yet flexible enough to reflect local realities. Such a shortlist can never be exhaustive in capturing all aspects of climate resilience, so we can expect clashes over inevitable compromises and trade-offs.
National Adaptation Plans (NAPs)
NAPs are central to how countries prepare for and respond to climate impacts. Developed under the UNFCCC, they help governments assess risks, set priorities, and guide long-term adaptation across sectors. NAPs also play a crucial role in unlocking finance and integrating adaptation into national development. At SB62, countries reviewed progress on NAPs, focusing on closing gaps in finance and technical support, strengthening institutional capacity, and moving from planning to real-world action. While many countries have made progress, turning plans into funded, effective projects remains a challenge. SB62 spotlighted these barriers and push for more accessible and coordinated support, including through the Green Climate Fund. In addition, SB62 may see a push to assess how adaptation features in third-generation NDCs, due this year.
Climate finance and the Baku to Belém Roadmap to $1.3 trillion
Although not formally negotiated, adaptation finance was a key focus at SB62, as observers call for clearer, more effective pathways for delivering support to those most vulnerable to climate impacts. Central to this effort is the Baku to Belém Roadmap, which aims to scale up climate finance for developing countries – amounting to at least $1.3 trillion annually by 2035. The Roadmap promotes low-emission, climate-resilient development by supporting the implementation of NDCs and NAPs. It calls for a mix of grants, concessional finance, and non-debt-generating instruments to meet the diverse financial needs of developing nations, especially those on the front lines of climate change. However, major gaps remain in how this finance is accessed, allocated, and tracked. In Bonn, Parties discussed the transparency and effectiveness of climate finance flows, including how resources could more reliably reach the communities that need them most. They are also expected to discuss the implications of the current adaptation finance doubling goal expiring in 2025, and the urgent need to establish a new, clearly defined adaptation finance target to guide funding flows in the post-2025 period.
Transformational adaptation
At SB62, parties resumed deliberations on transformational adaptation, a key issue under the GGA which proved deeply divisive at COP29. Building on the 2024 UNFCCC technical paper outlining dimensions like depth, scale, speed, and sustainability, discussions focused on how to operationalize transformational change. While the UAE framework emphasizes both “long-term transformational and incremental adaptation”, it left the question of means of implementation unaddressed. This leaves developing countries facing a core challenge: how to address the GGA targets without financial, technological, and capacity building guarantees.
Linked to this is the Baku Adaptation Roadmap (BAR), adopted at COP29 to guide GGA implementation. Though it aimed to integrate adaptation across key systems like food, water, and biodiversity, it remains vague. Debate continues over unresolved elements from paragraph 38 of Decision 2/CMA.5, especially how to align indicators with reporting, finance, and the Global Stocktake. Tensions also persist over the reframing of contested means of implementation indicators as broader “enablers of implementation,” which many developing countries see as weakening accountability. At SB62, parties needed to clarify the structure and purpose of the BAR to ensure it drives concrete, supported action not just reporting.
Monitoring, evaluation and transparency
At SB62, countries focused on how to track and report real progress on adaptation. A key part of this involves updates to the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) under the Paris Agreement. The UNFCCC Secretariat reported on new tools to support countries’ adaptation reporting and training for experts reviewing the first Biennial Transparency Reports submitted in 2024. Negotiators also discussed how to strengthen support for developing countries, including financial help and clearer roles for the Consultative Group of Experts, which advises on reporting.
Adaptation communications
Parties were expected to exchange views on how they are preparing and updating their adaptation communications (voluntary reports that highlight national priorities, actions, and support needs). These communications inform planning and resource allocation.
How SB62 looks ahead to COP30
SB62 also looked ahead to COP30 and Brazil’s incoming presidency. Brazil played an active role in Bonn this month as participants shape the political agenda and operational planning for the November conference in Belém. This includes some lingering issuesed from COP29, often called “hangover negotiations” that were not finalised last year in Azerbaijan. They became part of the roadmap from Baku to Belém. This included the climate finance goal and pathways for implementing the Global Stocktake. These unfinished negotiations added some complexity to Brazil’s presidency of this year’s COP, adding pressure to move the agenda forward and rebuild trust among the parties particularly between high- and low-income nations, where divided over finance, equity, and accountability remain stark. We can expect Brazilian leaders to use SB62 as a meeting ground for informal consultations, bilateral meetings, and thematic dialogues that will help set the tone for COP30.
Concern at the Bonn climate conference
While SBs are more technical, they still bring together a broad range of observers, including NGOs, advocates, local governments, and academic institutions. Concern is attending SB62 because it serves as a vital platform for engagement in the heart of the UNFCCC’s negotiation process. Observer constituencies are also a key factor in these meetings. While they’re not formal negotiators, they work together as collective voices that call attention to key matters and advocate for certain outcomes through evidence-based research, community perspectives, and policy proposals. It’s a reminder that civil society helps to drive both ambition and accountability.
The Sharm el-Sheikh Dialogue
The Sharm el-Sheikh Dialogue was established as part of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. It’s often mentioned alongside the Paris agreement’s Article 2.1c, which lays out the aim to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change, in the context of sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty, including by… making finance flows consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development. This is obviously an “easier-said-than-done” scenario, and so the Sharm el-Sheikh Dialogue became a process for establishing a common understanding between countries. The first SeSD workshops were held in 2023 and two will be held this year, starting with SB62. UNFCCC notes that these workshops “have made some headway,” but “key questions remain unanswered” and parties are still trying to achieve a common ground on understanding the scope of Article 2.1c, so that will be a key aim for this year’s dialogues.
Progress made on international carbon markets under Article 6
Delegates made important strides on key technical aspects of Article 6, including carbon credit authorization, activity scope, the international carbon market registry and more. Constructive discussions in Bonn clarified positions on Article 6.2 and 6.4 ahead of COP29. Delegates also agreed to hold a workshop to further progress technical work on Article 6.2 and 6.4 ahead of November. As a result, they were better placed to meet in Baku ready to finalize an outcome and move towards better carbon markets. In the lead up to COP29, additional work on Article 6.4 will move forward. The UN Body responsible for operationalizing a new global carbon market under the Paris Agreement met twice ahead negotiations in Baku, to finalize recommendations on methodologies and emission removals. Feedback gathered from Parties and stakeholders at an engagement event during the June Climate Meetings will be incorporated into these recommendations. The Supervisory Body also aims to finalize a Sustainable Development Tool in the run up to COP29, to establish environmental and social safeguards. Completing the remaining elements on Article 6 in Baku will unlock further funding for national climate plans and adaptation.
Other issues and events at the June Meetings:
The final review of the implementation of the enhanced Lima work programme and its Gender Action Plan (GAP) was initiated at the June Meetings identifying progress, challenges, gaps and priorities in implementing the GAP, and further work to be undertaken. The discussions started at this session set the scene for developing the tools to embed gender in forthcoming NDCs, NAPs and transparency reports.
The Standing Committee on Finance advanced preparations for the 2024 Forum on gender-responsive financing. Taking place from 2nd – 3st September in Arusha, Tanzania, the Forum will highlight the critical importance of gender-responsive finance in achieving low-emission climate-resilient development and poverty eradication that will be equitable and inclusive.
Parties achieved a breakthrough under the Sharm el-Sheikh joint work on implementation of climate action on agriculture and food security, agreeing on a road map for the work ahead until COP31, using workshops on agreed topics, an annual synthesis report on agriculture and food security published by the secretariat, and an online platform for sharing information on projects, initiatives and policies for climate action to address issues related to agriculture and food security.
The Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue took place over two days at the June Climate Meetings, with a focus on two key topics – marine biodiversity conservation and coastal resilience, and ocean energy technologies.
The Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) Hub hosted an event to bring young people together for skills-building and knowledge-sharing. The focus this year was on local action. Fifty young people – 25 from around the world and 25 from Germany – came together to develop the skills they need to lead climate initiatives in their communities.
The High-Level Climate Champions, Nigar Arpadarai (Azerbaijan) and Razan Al Mubarak (United Arab Emirates), organized a series of events that explored how businesses, cities, regions, Indigenous Peoples and civil society are working alongside governments to deliver ambitious climate action ahead of COP29.
The third Glasgow Dialogue on loss and damage at the June Meetings discussed the coordination arrangements for the Fund responding to loss and damage, assessed progress made and developed further recommendations.
Activities of the Vietnamese negotiating delegation at SB62
The head of the Vietnamese Delegation - Deputy Director of the Department of Climate Change Le Ngoc Tuan attended the consultation meetings of the SB62. Vietnam and other countries discussed to add more content to the SB62 agenda. In addition, Mr. Tuan also attended the informal consultation meeting of the COP30 President with the heads of negotiating delegations on the contents towards COP30. Before that, there was a meeting of national focal points participating in the Global Cooling Commitment.
Members of the Department of Climate Change also attended the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) Partnership Meeting hosted by Japan. Currently, 31 countries have signed the JCM with Japan, including areas such as energy, agriculture, waste management and land use. At the meeting, the Vietnamese representative proposed that the Japanese side support Vietnam in implementing NDC 3.0 through implementing projects within the JCM framework and integrating them into the financial roadmap for implementing the NDC that Vietnam is developing. The Japanese side agreed to discuss with the JCM focal point of Vietnam to propose potential projects.
Hiền Nhâm
(Source: The article was published on the Environment Magazine by English No. II/2025)
