Bonn climate talks signal momentum but leave climate vulnerable nations on the lurch

The UN climate talks in Bonn closed with growing momentum behind the transition away from fossil fuels, but deep disappointment over the continued failure of developed countries to move on adaptation finance.

Andreas Sieber, 350.org Head of Political Strategy said:

“The momentum on fossil fuels was unmistakable. Brazil’s roadmap process on transitioning away from fossil fuels drew significant interest, with the Brazilian presidency reporting more than 100 submissions. That momentum now needs to be carried forward clearly and credibly, including by the incoming Turkish COP31 Presidency, with concrete next steps that turn the global commitment to transition away from fossil fuels into national plans, international cooperation and real-world implementation.”

However, negotiations failed to include a target to triple adaptation finance in the Global Goal on Adaptation by 2035 that was agreed at COP30 in Brazil, exposing a familiar and dangerous gap, with developed countries focusing much of the discussion on technical processes under the Global Goal on Adaptation to avoid commitments to scale up finance.

“The Global Goal on Adaptation cannot be implemented without finance. For communities already facing floods, droughts and extreme heat, adaptation is not an abstract exercise in measurement. It is about whether homes can be protected, crops can survive, health systems can cope, and lives can be saved. Countries on the frontlines already know much of what needs to be done. The question is whether they will receive the finance and support required to do it.”

Rukiya Khamis, 350.org East Africa Programme Manager said:

“The gap between climate ambition and climate implementation remains the defining challenge of our time. As attention now turns to COP31, expectations are high. Parties must shift from dialogue to delivery, from commitments to implementation, and from ambition on paper to action on the ground.

The message from Bonn is unmistakable: the world is running out of time. COP31 must deliver results that match both the urgency of the science and the realities faced by African communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis.”