Outcomes of Bonn UNFCCC Climate Change Conference: Prospect for agreement in Durban

The most recent UN climate change negotiations were held in Bonn, Germany June 6-17, 2011.

Given the underwhelming nature of the preceding talks in Bangkok, there was considerable pressure for the June session in Bonn to deliver some progress on key architectural elements of the Cancun Agreements before the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP) in Durban, South Africa. This sense of urgency was compounded by uncertainty as to whether a fall negotiating session of the AWGs would be held before Durban due to lack of funds. Many developed countries have stated that they could not justify supporting a fall meeting unless the two weeks in Bonn were productive.Movement during the first week in Bonn was stalled as a result of disagreements over the agendas for the meetings of the Subsidiary Bodies, largely reflecting continued developing country discomfort with the Cancun Agreements as a basis for negotiation. The second week in Bonn was decidedly more productive with certain agenda items making considerable progress, including in the areas of adaptation and technology transfer.