Latest news with #GlobalGoalonAdaptation
Scoop
28-06-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Health Community Welcomes Bonn Deal To Monitor Climate Finance But Criticises Rich Countries' Efforts To Shirk Duties
Bonn, 27 June 2025:- As the UN's SB62 Climate Change Conference closed just after midnight, the Global Climate and Health Alliance welcomed a breakthrough agreement between governments to pursue monitoring of urgently needed finance for adaptation as part of tracking progress towards a Global Goal on Adaptation, but condemned attempts by rich countries to avoid discussion on their climate finance responsibilities. 'With people's lives on the line, grants-based public finance must urgently be delivered to adequately protect the health and wellbeing of people most vulnerable to climate impacts - as aligned with their Paris Agreement responsibilities', said Jess Beagley, Policy Lead at the Global Climate and Health Alliance, which brings together over 200 health professionals and health civil society organisations and networks to address climate change. 'After ten hours of fighting over tracking adaptation finance today, the talks ended up in a better place than anyone had hoped'. 'Here in Bonn, rich countries sought to avoid engaging in discussions relating to provision of finance to developing countries impacted by climate change in line with their responsibilities under the Paris Agreement. This presents a serious barrier to progress in implementation, but also risks undermining trust in multilateralism.' 'However, agreement to monitor finance and other means of implementation for adaptation is a decisive step forward, and developed countries must now deliver on their commitments to ensure actions can be implemented to protect human health in the face of growing climate hazards to protect a healthy climate future', said Beagley. The Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) is aimed at increasing global adaptation efforts, while enhancing support for the countries most vulnerable to climate change impacts. Climate Finance During the Bonn meeting, a group of rich countries blocked the addition of an agenda item focussed on provision of finance by developed countries to developing countries. This delayed adoption of the meeting agenda until the second day, wasting valuable time. Consultations on a roadmap due at COP30 to scale climate finance to the USD 1.3 trillion requested by developing countries last year l heavily featured private finance rather than public finance. 'Without sufficient grants-based public finance, developing countries will become further trapped in cycles of debt, poverty and disease', said Beagley. 'Over the coming months, rich governments can redeem themselves by demonstrating willingness to prioritise public grants from developed to developing countries. Developed countries must provide funding to prevent worsening climate change by addressing its causes; funding for countries to build resilience against the climate impacts they are already facing; and funding to recover and rebuild from destruction that they were unable to avoid.' 'The governments of developed countries have a moral responsibility to ensure the countries that have contributed the least to climate change but are facing its harshest impacts receive crucial international support', said Jeni Miller, Executive Director of the Global Climate and Health Alliance. 'From flooding that destroys homes and clinics and spreads cholera, to heatwaves that overwhelm hospitals with patients, to droughts and weather instability that ruin harvests, to wildfires spreading toxic smoke to communities thousands of miles away, in every country people are suffering from the impacts of climate change; low income developing countries are the most severely harmed and the least able to respond to and recover from the damages from this problem that they did not cause.' 'Fossil fuels are at the root of climate change, as well as of air pollution and plastic contamination, as well as polluting our water and soil pollution. November's COP30 must take a great leap towards ending the fossil fuel age and its devastating impact on human health', said Miller. Fossil Fuel Phase Out 'Dependence on fossil fuels is the primary driver of health impacts from climate change, which is already straining healthcare systems around the world', said Beagley. 'Fossil fuel use is also a key air pollution culprit, causing millions of deaths annually from respiratory and cardiovascular disease, as well as developmental and cognitive issues.' 'Ahead of COP30, governments must agree to pursue and support just transition pathways across countries and sectors, including to improve clean and safe renewable energy access and clean cooking, in order to protect the human right to health - especially for women and children most exposed to indoor air pollution'. Ending Fossil Fuel Industry Influence The SB62 Bonn meeting featured no developments on addressing fossil fuel industry interference in climate negotiations, and UNFCCC has not advanced any plans to deal with this interference - despite written calls from civil society, a demonstration, press briefing and event during SB62.
New Indian Express
27-06-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Climate meltdown at Bonn, all eyes on COP30 now
Procedural inertia The Bonn talks descended into what many described as a climate meltdown, with procedural wrangling overshadowing substantive action. The attempt to sideline Article 9.1 was not an isolated incident; negotiations on the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) and response measures also floundered. Developing countries, including the African and Arab Groups, pushed for alignment with the Paris Agreement and deletion of duplicative language, but clashed with developed nations over indicator guidance and means of implementation (MoI). The failure to agree on GGA indicators, critical for vulnerable nations, risks setting back the process by a year, a setback Cristina Rumbaitis of the UN Foundation called 'deeply disappointing.' Mohamed Adow, Director of Power Shift Africa, echoed this sentiment, stating, 'The slow pace on core issues like finance, adaptation, and just transition reveals a deepening trust gap between rich and vulnerable nations.' The COP29 outcome in Baku, where developed countries pledged only $300 billion annually by 2035 against the $1.3 trillion (including $600 billion in grants) sought by the Global South, loomed large over Bonn. Diego Pacheco, Bolivia's climate negotiator and LMDC spokesperson, lamented 'many, many unfulfilled promises,' accusing developed nations of obfuscating real issues and offering inadequate mobilisation targets. The just transition dialogue saw some progress, with the UAE Just Transition Work Programme gaining traction, particularly on creating an enabling international environment. Khaled Hashim of G77+China noted satisfaction with advancements. However, the unresolved finance gap from COP29 cast a long shadow, reinforcing the report's critique that private-sector-first approaches are failing to deliver the $420 billion annually needed for fair fossil fuel phase-out programmes, including worker support and economic diversification. Ilana Seid, Chair of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), highlighted the inclusive yet inadequate outcome: 'The pace of action remains far behind the accelerating impacts our nations are already enduring. Small island developing states should not be the collateral damage of other countries' lack of climate action.' AOSIS called for enhanced, 1.5°C-aligned Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and operationalising the GGA with scaled-up, accessible finance, expressing concern over logistical uncertainties for COP30. Lien Vandamme, Senior Campaigner at the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), said, for 30 years, the negotiations have failed to deliver climate justice, undermined international law, and allowed the fossil fuel industry to shape the rules. Urgent and deep reform of the UN climate talks is critical.' This aligns with the growing sentiment that corporate influence and lack of accountability are derailing progress. David Waskow, Director of the International Climate Initiative at the World Resources Institute (WRI), said with just few months to go before COP30, leaders need to start delivering: they need to put forward strong national plans to cut emissions and transform key sectors; scale up climate finance from all sources; and urgently implement and mainstream adaptation and resilience to protect lives, economies, and security. Persistent political tensions and competing agendas led to limited and uneven progress in Bonn.'
Indian Express
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Mains answer practice — GS 3 : Questions on Bonn Climate Change Conference and identification and deportation of illegal immigrants (Week 107)
UPSC Essentials brings to you its initiative for the practice of Mains answer writing. It covers essential topics of static and dynamic parts of the UPSC Civil Services syllabus covered under various GS papers. This answer-writing practice is designed to help you as a value addition to your UPSC CSE Mains. Attempt today's answer writing on questions related to topics of GS-3 to check your progress. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for May 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at Discuss how technology is transforming the identification and deportation of illegal immigrants, assessing both its benefits and limitations. The Bonn Climate Change Conference serves as a crucial mid-year platform under the UNFCCC process. Discuss its role in shaping the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) and climate finance frameworks ahead of COP30. Introduction — The introduction of the answer is essential and should be restricted to 3-5 lines. Remember, a one-liner is not a standard introduction. — It may consist of basic information by giving some definitions from the trusted source and authentic facts. Body — It is the central part of the answer and one should understand the demand of the question to provide rich content. — The answer must be preferably written as a mix of points and short paragraphs rather than using long paragraphs or just points. — Using facts from authentic government sources makes your answer more comprehensive. Analysis is important based on the demand of the question, but do not over analyse. — Underlining keywords gives you an edge over other candidates and enhances presentation of the answer. — Using flowcharts/tree-diagram in the answers saves much time and boosts your score. However, it should be used logically and only where it is required. Way forward/ conclusion — The ending of the answer should be on a positive note and it should have a forward-looking approach. However, if you feel that an important problem must be highlighted, you may add it in your conclusion. Try not to repeat any point from body or introduction. — You may use the findings of reports or surveys conducted at national and international levels, quotes etc. in your answers. Self Evaluation — It is the most important part of our Mains answer writing practice. UPSC Essentials will provide some guiding points or ideas as a thought process that will help you to evaluate your answers. QUESTION 1: Discuss how technology is transforming the identification and deportation of illegal immigrants, assessing both its benefits and limitations. Note: This is not a model answer. It only provides you with thought process which you may incorporate into the answers. Introduction: — Since Operation Sindoor began on May 7, Indian officials have 'pushed back' about 2,500 alleged illegal Bangladeshi immigrants across the international border. — The government has not only set a 30-day deadline for verifying illegal immigration, but identified persons are currently being carried from various states to border outposts by Indian Air Force aircraft. — This has, however, aroused concerns about due process, humanitarian difficulties, and pending litigation, particularly allegations of persons being abandoned in the no-man's land between India and Bangladesh. Body: You may incorporate some of the following points in your answer: — Migration between what is now Bangladesh and India dates back to British times. The colonial administration encouraged settlement in the then sparsely populated Assam by bringing in labourers from Bengal and North India. — Following partition, millions of East Pakistan refugees, predominantly Hindus, migrated to India. During Pakistan's violent crackdown on Bengalis, over 10 million people, predominantly Hindus, sought asylum in India in 1971 alone. — This inflow has resulted in major socio political turmoil, particularly in Assam. While the India-Bangladesh border is largely walled now, gaps remain and illegal migration continues, with Bangladeshi labourers noticeable in metropolitan labour markets across India. — There is currently no official or commonly accepted figure for the number of undocumented Bangladeshi immigrants in India, and estimates vary greatly. The government has also pursued a more tech-driven approach to the problem: — It developed the portal to collect biographic and biometric information from Rohingya immigrants. This was eventually expanded to cover Bangladeshi migrants as well. — In 2023, the government redesigned this webpage as the Foreigners Identification webpage (FIP) to record more thorough profiles of suspected illegal immigrants. States/UTs and the Ministry of External Affairs now have access to the portal, which is used to upload and verify information about suspected illegal immigrants. If verification fails, expulsion is initiated with assistance from the Foreigners' Regional Registration Offices (FRROs). — In 2023, the government also launched a District Police Module on the Immigration Visa Foreigner Registration Tracking (IVFRT) portal to track overstaying foreigners. — Biometric capture technology, including fingerprint scanners, cameras, and computers, has been installed throughout the BSF's police stations, detention centres, and Border Outposts. Conclusion: — Currently, states including Gujarat, Delhi, Assam, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan are gathering up and transporting detected illegal immigrants to Assam, Tripura, and Meghalaya border points. They are then 'pushed back' across the border by the Border Security Force (BSF). — However, the current effort represents a more organised, digitised approach to the issue of illegal migration. With biometric data now on the FIP, the government aims to check re-entry. (Source: How latest drive to deport illegal Bangladeshi immigrants stands out) Points to Ponder Read about places in news in India and Bangladesh Read about trade between India and Bangladesh Related Previous Year Questions India has a long and troubled border with China and Pakistan fraught with contentious issues. Examine the conflicting issues and security challenges along the border. Also give out the development Programme (BADP) and Border Infrastructure and Management (BM) Scheme. (2024) What are the internal security challenges being faced by India? Give out the role of Central Intelligence and Investigative Agencies tasked to counter such threats. (2023) QUESTION 2: The Bonn Climate Change Conference serves as a crucial mid-year platform under the UNFCCC process. Discuss its role in shaping the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) and climate finance frameworks ahead of COP30. Note: This is not a model answer. It only provides you with thought process which you may incorporate into the answers. Introduction: — The Bonn Climate Change Conference is an annual mid-year gathering held under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), an international accord adopted in 1992 that serves as a foundation for climate negotiations. — The conference is officially called the Sessions of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies (SBs). It is the UNFCCC's sole regular climate conference, in addition to the annual Conference of the Parties (COP). Body: You may incorporate some of the following points in your answer: — It is attended by members of SBs, which are committees that support the UNFCCC's governing bodies in executing and assessing climate change accords. Indigenous representatives, international groups, scientists, and representatives from civil society all attend the summit. — The meeting is held to examine technical and scientific aspects of climate discussions, as well as to determine the agenda for the COP, which typically occurs in November. — The Bonn Climate Conference is also where the implementation of agreements reached at the previous COP is discussed. — One of the main topics of discussion will be the Global objective on Adaptation (GGA), which is an attempt to create a shared global objective on adaptation, similar to how maintaining temperatures below the 1.5°C threshold is a global goal on mitigation. — Although the GGA was established in the Paris Agreement in 2015, no major breakthrough occurred until COP28 in Dubai, when parties agreed on a framework for outlining global adaptation goals. Conclusion: — The meeting is led by the SBs of the UNFCCC. There are two permanent SBs of the UNFCCC, the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) and the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA). — SBI assists the UNFCCC governing bodies in the assessment and review of the implementation of their decisions, while SBSTA advises the governing bodies on scientific knowledge related to climate change. (Source: Bonn Climate Change Conference begins: Everything you need to know) Points to Ponder Read more about Bonn Climate Conference Read more about COP Related Previous Year Questions The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has predicted a global sea level rise of about one metre by AD 2100. What would be its impact in India and the other countries in the Indian Ocean region? (2023) Explain the purpose of the Green Grid Initiative launched at World Leaders Summit of the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow in November, 2021. When was this idea first floated in the International Solar Alliance (ISA)? (2021) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 106) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 105) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 106) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 105) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 106) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 105) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X.
The Hindu
16-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
In year of ‘negative news', UN climate chief says 1.5 °C goal still achievable
UN climate chief Simon Stiell on Monday (June 16, 2025) said that despite a year dominated by negative headlines, many of the world's largest economies are showing encouraging signs of action on climate change and that keeping global warming within 1.5 degrees Celsius is still possible. At the opening of the mid-year UN climate conference in Bonn, Germany, Mr. Stiell said worsening climate impacts in every country highlight the need for continued cooperation. 'This year, beneath the noisier negative news, there are plenty of good reasons for optimism. We are seeing green lights for climate actions from many of the world's biggest economies, sending powerful demand signals to investors and doers,' he said. Mr. Stiell said countries must use the Bonn talks to finalise indicators for the Global Goal on Adaptation. Negotiators in Bonn must 'deep-dive' to create a roadmap for mobilising ₹1.3 trillion annually by 2035 to help developing countries fight climate change, he said. At COP29 in Azerbaijan's Baku last November, countries agreed to triple climate finance to ₹300 billion a year by 2035, part of a broader goal to mobilise ₹1.3 trillion. In Bonn, countries are expected to begin consultations on the 'Baku to Belem Roadmap,' which will guide the delivery of this goal. Mr. Stiell urged countries to ensure that the Mitigation Work Programme — established at COP26 in Glasgow to urgently scale up mitigation ambition — builds momentum for 'actionable solutions that respond to the urgency'. At COP28 in Dubai, countries completed the first Global Stocktake — a two-year review of the collective global progress towards achieving the Paris Agreement goals — and decided to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030, double the global rate of energy efficiency improvements by 2030 and transition away from fossil fuels. Mr. Stiell said countries must also make progress on the outcomes of the first Global Stocktake at Bonn. 'None of these issues are easy. Disagreement is natural,' Mr. Stiell said, adding that the progress made in the next 10 days will make a 'very real' difference to billions of lives and livelihoods in every country. He said that recent COPs have all produced concrete, major global steps forward. 'Even if imperfect, even if no country gets everything it wants, this is human solidarity in action... Without UN-convened climate multilateralism, we would be headed for up to 5 degrees Celsius of global heating. Now it's around 3. A reminder that 1.5 and protecting all people continue to be both achievable over the course of time and utterly essential,' the UN climate change chief said. The mid-year UN climate meetings held annually in Bonn help countries work out technical details before the annual UN climate conferences known as COP. If countries do not make enough progress in Bonn, it becomes much harder to agree on anything at COP. This year, the Bonn talks are taking place amid geopolitical tensions, military conflicts, trade disputes, the U.S. exit from the Paris Agreement and developed countries' failure to deliver climate finance, all of which have weakened trust among nations and made climate action more difficult. The talks also come amid a stark warning from the World Meteorological Organization, which said last month that there is a 70 per cent chance the average global temperature between 2025 and 2029 will exceed pre-industrial levels by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius. In a letter to countries outlining its expectations from the Bonn talks, Brazil, the host of this year's UN climate summit, said that special focus will be on the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) indicators, the UAE Dialogue on implementing the findings of the Global Stocktake and the UAE Just Transition Work Programme (JTWP), aimed at making the shift away from fossil fuels fair and inclusive.
Scoop
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Address To The Opening Plenary Of The UN June Climate Meetings, Sixty-Second Session Of The Subsidiary Bodies (SB62)
Executive Secretary Simon Stiell UN Climate Change Bonn, Germany Excellencies, Delegates, Friends, Welcome to Bonn, and the 62nd session of the Subsidiary Bodies. There is lots of complex work ahead, so allow me to start with a few simple truths. First: this process matters, deeply. The progress you make in the next 10 days makes a very real difference to billions of lives and livelihoods, in every country. These sessions are where we move from concept to clarity – across sectors, systems, and societies. You are laying down the tracks that further deliver implementation. In the real economy – where deep emissions cuts and transformative adaptation must be delivered. Quickly and fairly. Second: this process is delivering real progress. Thanks to your tireless efforts and ability to compromise, recent COPs have all produced concrete, major global steps forward. Even if imperfect, even if no country gets everything it wants, this is human solidarity in action, with real-life benefits for billions of people. Let's not forget: without UN-convened climate multilateralism, we would be headed for up to 5C of global heating. Now it's around 3. It's a measure of how far we've come, and how far to go. A reminder that 1.5, and protecting all people, continue to be both achievable over the course of time, and utterly essential. Likewise, this year, beneath the noisier negative news, there are plenty of good reasons for optimism. We are seeing green lights for climate actions from many of the world's biggest economies, sending powerful demand signals to investors and doers. Yes, there are headwinds – as there always are – but they do not set humanity's course. The tide has turned for climate action, and there's no turning it back, because it's entirely in every nation's own interests. So I urge you - let's show how we are rising to this moment - with a unity of purpose that is stronger than ever, and laser-focused on real-world results. This also requires being pragmatic: the acceleration still needed will only be possible if our process is adequately resourced. We welcome the growing mandates you have given the secretariat. And through the secretariat's budget, we have found significant cost savings and efficiencies, so that we can keep delivering fully on all of these growing mandates. But this approach is not sustainable. You are all aware of our budget challenges. I urge you to address them fully through your deliberations here in Bonn, to make sure this process keeps getting concrete results that move the world forward. This brings me to my third point: the world is watching closely, as climate impacts get rapidly worse in every country. We must show climate cooperation can keep delivering real progress, and can drive the acceleration demanded by science, to protect people and prosperity. That means these June sessions must: Agree the final steps for delivering indicators under the Global Goal on Adaptation at COP30. Unlock delivery under the Just Transition Work Programme Work so that it helps move 'Just Transition' from a necessary concept to a lived reality, across economies and societies. Deep-dive into the Roadmap to the 1.3 Trillion so that it's not just a report, but rather a how-to guide with clear next steps on dramatically scaling up climate finance and investment. Ensure the mitigation work programme builds momentum for realizing actionable solutions that respond to the urgency we must all confront. Make progress on defining this era of implementation – what it means to deliver on all the commitments we've collectively made to the planet and each other – including in the first Global Stocktake. None of these issues are easy. Disagreement is natural. But our process must be safe and respectful for all. Full adherence to the Code of Conduct is non-negotiable. Friends, guided by the three interlinked priorities set out by the incoming Presidency: To reinforce multilateralism under the Convention. To connect our work to billions of real lives. And to accelerate implementation. Let's get to work. The Secretariat will be with you at every step.
