Outcome of the Bonn Climate Change Talks, 2-13 June

The Bonn Talks included the second major session this year on a strengthened international climate change agreement to be finalized in December 2009 in Copenhagen.

As agreed at the previous session of Climate Change Talks in Bangkok, all five elements of the negotiations - adaptation, mitigation, technology, finance and a shared vision for long-term cooperative action - were discussed under the Convention at the Bonn session. more

13 June
UNFCCC Executive Secretary Yvo de Boer addressing the media at the closing press conference on the final day of the Talks
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Summing up the Talks at the closing press conference, UNFCCC Executive Secretary, Yvo de Boer, said Parties had called for proposals which would enable them to deliver on the four key elements of an agreed outcome in Copenhagen: mitigation, adaptation, technology and finance. But with negotiating time up to 2009 running short, he urged that "proposals need to become more targeted."

Mr. de Boer spoke of real progress having been made in implementing action on adaptation to climate change. He also expressed the hope that developed countries would announce voluntary contributions to the Kyoto Protocol's Adaptation Fund at the Climate Change Conference in Poznan in December.

The agreement to scale up practical technology transfer efforts was also welcomed by Mr. de Boer, but he cautioned that "a larger advance in technology cooperation will be crucial for the success of a Copenhagen agreement."

"The road ahead is daunting," he said. While acknowledging the commitment of many countries to reach an agreed outcome in Copenhagen, he stressed that "it is crucial that the next meetings produce concrete negotiating texts."

2 June
UNFCCC Executive Secretary Yvo de Boer speaking at the opening press conference on the first day of the Talks
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At the opening press conference, UNFCCC Executive Secretary, Yvo de Boer, outlined the main issues under discussion, including adaptation to climate change, the development and transfer of technology, reduced emissions from deforestation, and finance.

A critical issue, he said, would be financial engineering: "How to generate sufficient financial resources that will drive the technology into the market that allows developing countries to act, both to limit their emissions and to adapt to the impacts of climate change."

Mr. de Boer explained that both the group negotiating an enhanced long-term response to climate change, and the group discussing further commitments for Parties to the Kyoto Protocol beyond 2012, were continuing their work in Bonn. Both sets of negotiations are set to conclude in Copenhagen at the end of 2009.

"The world is expecting a Copenhagen deal to reach the goal set by science without harming the economy. Parties will need to make real progress towards this goal," he said.