While the UN’s annual COP conferences draw most of the media attention, the lesser-known Subsidiary Bodies (SBs) meetings, held biannually in Bonn, are where key technical discussions and negotiations take place. This article shares insights from attending SB60, explores the intricacies of following negotiations, the accessibility of these events, and personal reflections on the process.
By Merle Clara Riebandt
Most of us have heard about the Conference of the Parties (COP) – the big annual climate conference by the United Nations. But outside of the spotlight of most press attention, the Subsidiary Bodies (SBs) take place every half year in Bonn, Germany. These conferences are part of the UNFCCC process and serve as a preparation for the COPs. Negotiations in the different working groups continue and more technical details are discussed. The roughly 6,000 participants include country negotiators, technical experts, representatives of civil society and the private sector, and scientists- similar to a COP, but on a more bureaucratic level. This year at the SB60s, a new tongue twister was heard: The New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance (NCQG), planned to be adopted at the upcoming COP in Azerbaijan [1][4]. Other key topics included the newly set up Loss and Damage Fund and Just Transition.
As a so-called observer from a civil society organisation, I had the chance to follow COP27 two years ago, and more recently, the SB60. In this article, I will discuss the practicalities of following a negotiation topic at an SB, address the question of accessibility at UNFCCC conferences, and share some personal reflections.
The Just Transition Work Programme – aiming to combine climate action and equality
In recent years, the realisation has grown that the climate crisis demands a fundamental rethinking of how we source energy, grow food, travel and interact with biodiversity systems. Civil society organisations, in particular, have demanded that these changes occur in a just and equitable manner, leading to the establishment of the Just Transition Work Programme (JTWP) at COP27. Based on the conviction that climate action must take a people-centred approach, the aim of the JTWP is to help countries reduce not only emissions but also inequality.
In our factsheet, you can find more information on the JTWP!
Who gets to participate at climate conferences – and who doesn’t?
Who gets a magic badge pass to the SBs and COPs, and who gets to have a say during these negotiations? In recent years, the number of on-the-ground attendees has grown (85,000 at the last COP in Dubai!) [2], but the space for civil society, particularly from the Global South, has not increased at the same rate. Young activists from Most Affected People and Areas (MAPAs) criticise how their opportunities to participate are limited by a lack of financial resources (try finding an affordable flight from Haiti to Bonn) and difficulties with obtaining a visa.
As I spoke to young activists, they told me that to get a visa for the SBs in Bonn, they first had to have all flights and accommodation sorted out before being able to apply, and appointments were often fully booked. These bureaucratic hurdles make it difficult for people whose perspectives and experiences are crucial at these conferences. Accessibility could be improved through streaming events and negotiations and making them available online, as well as improving visa access. Moreover, the next COP will take place in Azerbaijan, an authoritarian petrostate that does not ensure sufficient political rights and space for (climate) activism, according to Freedom House. There has already been a crackdown on civil society activism in the lead-up to the COP, and treatment of climate activists, particularly from Azerbaijan, will need to be closely monitored [5].
During the conference itself, accessibility remains an issue: speaking English, for example, cannot be seen as a prerequisite for everyone, but almost all negotiations and side events are only held in English, with translations often only available during negotiations. Besides English, there is another language to understand during the COPs and SBs: The terms and expressions used in the UNFCCC context, otherwise known as jargon. Would you be able to tell the crucial difference between the words “noting with concern”, “urge”, “requests” or “adopts”? While the first two are non-binding, the others bind countries to action. Or why do some countries request that a “summary report” will be provided in the end, instead of a “summary”? The first one is more extensive. These linguistic details affect the strength of the conclusions, and one must familiarise themselves with them when following the negotiations.
As an observer at the SBs
I had the chance to attend SB60 as an observer for a German institution. Observers are usually part of civil society. You can attend side events, follow (most) negotiations depending on the level of access your badge grants, organise and connect with others. However, you are usually not allowed to speak during the negotiations and some negotiations will be closed to you. Having previously attended COP27 in Egypt, I learned that to actually delve into the conference, you should follow only one negotiation topic closely. I chose to follow the negotiations on the Just Transition Work Programme. I connected with members of YOUNGO, the official youth constituency of the UNFCCC, signed-up for relevant newsletters which cover the SBs and tracked the UNFCCC side regularly to see whether new negotiations have been announced. Flexibility is key, as timetables change and understanding the positions of different negotiation groups often requires reading between the lines. Overall, being an observer at the SBs was an enriching experience that allowed me to learn more about international climate politics.
However, while attending COP and SB, I kept asking myself how to deal with the dissonance between what happens inside the negotiations and the urgency of the climate crisis. The gap between ambition and implementation is wide; it sometimes felt like the negotiators were operating as if we are not heading towards an increase of global average temperature increase of at least 2.1 °C [3]? And, an honest look in the mirror: should I really be attending the conferences, as someone from a country driving the climate crisis? How can I responsibly use the privilege of being given access to these conferences? Am I taking a spot from someone else, particularly from the Global South, who could have more of an impact? Representatives from western NGOs are already overrepresented. However, at the same time, I also believe in the importance of international agreements and their potential to pave the way for more ambitious national climate actions.
To learn more about the SBs, check out our youth guide!
Merle studied Political Science at the University of Amsterdam and at Sciences Po Paris and will start her Master’s in Environmental Policy and Regulation at the London School of Economics and Political Science this fall. She writes on topics of international climate policies for the Climate Change Performance Index and is engaged in climate activism. You can read more of her articles on the blog of the Climate Change Performance Index: https://ccpi.org/ccpi-blog/
