Bonn, Germany — June 19, 2025
The opening day of the Bonn Climate Conference was marred by sharp divisions between the Global North and South, resulting in a prolonged deadlock that halted progress on the summit’s core agenda. At the heart of the standoff was a critical issue: climate finance.
More than 130 developing nations, represented under the G77 and China bloc, demanded that climate finance and unilateral trade measures be formally included in the conference agenda. These topics are seen as essential to achieving equitable climate action and ensuring that vulnerable countries can adapt and build resilience in the face of a worsening climate crisis.
However, developed nations—including key players from the European Union and beyond—resisted these calls, refusing to endorse any discussion that directly touched on financial commitments. The result was a tense and unproductive first day marked by backroom lobbying, informal negotiations, and heated exchanges in the plenary hall.
The impasse triggered a marathon overnight negotiation session that only ended in the early hours of the second day, when parties finally agreed to a compromise agenda. With this agreement in place, the conference was able to proceed—albeit under a cloud of mistrust and growing frustration from Global South representatives.
The adopted agenda includes discussions on the Just Transition Work Programme, the UAE Dialogue on the Global Stocktake, consultations on the Baku to Belem Roadmap for climate finance, and the Sharm El-Sheikh Dialogue on Article 2.1(c) of the Paris Agreement.
Other critical areas now under deliberation include climate finance for developing nations, the Global Goal on Adaptation, pathways for just transitions, technology transfer mechanisms, and improved transparency frameworks to track climate action.
African civil society groups and environmental organizations have called for sobriety and honest engagement from all parties. They emphasize that without meaningful financial support and technology transfer, developing nations will be left behind—undermining the global effort to keep climate goals within reach.
“This deadlock is more than a diplomatic hiccup—it’s a reminder of the persistent power imbalance in global climate governance,” said one representative from an African climate justice network. “Our future cannot be negotiated away behind closed doors.”
As the Bonn Conference continues, the pressure is mounting on wealthier nations to not only talk the talk but also walk the walk—by making real, measurable commitments that reflect their historical responsibility and capacity to act.
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