Bonn (June 5th, 2026). Ahead of the UN climate meetings (SB64) set to begin on Monday in Bonn, the environmental and development organization Germanwatch is calling on the international community to take decisive action. The climate conference offers an important opportunity to highlight the benefits and potential of international climate cooperation and to pave the way for significant outcomes at the global climate conference COP31 in Antalya. 'The negotiations in Bonn must send a clear message of support for effective climate action. It's not just about the negotiations themselves. Despite global crises and tensions, the international community must demonstrate its ability to further develop joint solutions to the climate crisis. Furthermore, if individual countries block progress, groups of more ambitious countries must boldly drive forward the implementation of climate measures', emphasizes Petter Lydén, Head of Division for International Climate Policy at Germanwatch.
Lydén insists that the Bonn meeting should be more than a technical gathering: 'Governments must demonstrate that they are translating their climate commitments into concrete actions and building momentum for COP31. In this context, countries must outline how they intend to implement the goals of the global stocktake. In response to the energy crisis, it is also essential to accelerate the momentum toward a just, orderly, and equitable transition away from fossil fuels and to promote electrification as a response to energy security challenges and as a means of achieving the agreed energy goals.'
Lydén: 'The success of Bonn should also be measured by whether governments can demonstrate concrete action — not just ambitions. Countries must articulate their vision for COP31 more clearly. Governments, together with the Turkish COP31 Presidency and the Australian Negotiating Presidency, should clearly communicate their goals for both the formal negotiations and the Global Climate Action Agenda, which is becoming increasingly important.'
Impending food crisis must be addressed as a matter of urgency
'In Bonn, adapting to the climate crisis and addressing climate-related losses and damages must become a much greater political priority. The ongoing energy crisis, and above all the looming food crisis caused by the fertiliser blockade and the onset of El Niño, require urgent and concrete action. At the same time, the necessary technical work must be consistently progressed. This includes clarifying the path towards finalising the indicators for the Global Climate Adaptation Goal. International climate policy can only rise to the challenges of the coming years if adaptation and responding to loss and damage are advanced both politically and practically', emphasises Laura Schäfer, Co-Head of Division for International Climate Policy at Germanwatch.
Last but not least, governments should support the evolvement of the UN climate process themselves. “In view of growing geopolitical tensions and the worsening impacts of the climate crisis, as well as the gap between which climate action is necessary and what is being implemented, the implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change must be further developed. Only then can it serve as an effective platform for international cooperation and climate diplomacy in the context of the accelerated implementation that now lies ahead,” says Schäfer.
June Climate Meetings in Bonn: New approach to multilateralism and concrete progress needed
Starting Monday, SB64 must set the course for the global climate conference in November – the stakes go far beyond just technical progress
