SB58 Pre-Brief Information

 

Stakeholder briefing held on Thursday 18 May 2023

• SB58 will be held from 5 to 15 June at the World Conference Centre Bonn (WCBB), Germany.
• Parties will meet to progress negotiations across the ongoing UNFCCC workstreams, including the Global Stocktake, Mitigation Work Program, Adaptation, Loss and Damage, Just Transition, Agriculture, Response Measures, Article 6, Transparency, and Research and Systemic Observation, as well as cross-cutting issues such as cooperation with other international organisations, capacity-building and technology transfer.
• Other scheduled meetings and events include the third and final Technical Dialogue of the Global Stocktake, the first Global Dialogue and Investment-focused Event under the Mitigation Work Program, sixth workshop for the Global Goal on Adaptation, the Dialogue on Action for Climate Empowerment, Oceans Dialogue and the sixth Technical Experts Dialogue of the new collective quantified goal on climate finance.
• Through SB58 we hope to build a clearer picture of where the negotiations will land at COP28 this year and key initiatives the COP28 Presidency will pursue.  
• Earlier this month, the Petersberg Climate Dialogue was held in Berlin, Germany
• The Dialogue is an annual ministerial climate event hosted by Germany and the incoming COP presidency. Key areas of discussion across the two-day dialogue included just energy transition, a global response to climate impacts and a forward looking Global Stocktake. The availability, affordability and access to finance was also a cross cutting theme.

 

Update on key areas of negotiation at SB58

Loss and Damage

• At COP27 parties came together and agreed to establish new funding arrangements, including a new fund, for assisting developing countries that are particularly vulnerable in responding to and addressing loss and damage.
• A Transitional Committee has been established and asked to develop a set of recommendations, for agreement at COP28 on the design of the new fund (including modalities and governance arrangements), broader funding arrangements (both inside and outside the UNFCCC), sources of funding, and complementarity and coordination with the existing funding landscape.
• Australia hopes to use its position on the Transitional Committee to deliver practical outcomes for our region.

The Global Stocktake (GST)

• COP28 will also see the completion of the first Global Stocktake, the Paris Agreement mechanism to measure collective progress made by Parties towards the achievement of the Paris Agreement’s goals.
• SB58 will see the conclusion of the ‘technical dialogue’ process, with a focus on ‘what’s next’ and what is needed to achieve the goals.

Adaptation

• On the global goal for adaptation (GGA) item, we continue working under the Glasgow-Sharm el-Sheikh work programme on the global goal on adaptation (GlaSS). Five out of the eight workshops have been completed, with the aim of finalising the development of a framework for assessing collective adaptation progress for agreement at COP28.
• At the upcoming workshop six in Bonn, and during the SB58 session, Australia will work with the UG, EU and AOSIS and other Parties to advance the framework and establish guidance for the remainder of the GlaSS toward the successful delivery of this significant piece of adaptation infrastructure under the UNFCCC.

Climate Finance

• The focus in 2023 will be ongoing discussions on the New Collective Quantified Goal (or the NCQG). We are in year two of a three-year process to discuss and agree a new global climate finance goal to be agreed at COP29 next year.
• Ensuring a fit for purpose international financial architecture will be the focus of the upcoming June Summit for a New Financing Pact on reshaping the global architecture of development and climate finance - organised by France and Barbados.

Article 6 – international carbon markets

• Technical work continues at SB58 to implement the rulebook agreed at COP26, including on reporting, review and infrastructure for the use of internationally traded mitigation (ITMOs) towards countries’ targets under Article 6.2, and the operation of the Article 6.4 mechanism.
• Australia’s focus is on ensuring cooperative approaches under Article 6 meet high standards of integrity and facilitate voluntary participation by countries in our region.

 

Other areas of focus and opportunity at SB58

Gender, Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) and Youth

• The Australian delegation will also contribute to and participate in several mandated events on the cross-cutting issues of gender equality, youth engagement, and Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE).
• Youth engagement is an important part of the COP28 Presidency’s focus. The Australian delegation will engage with youth delegates at Bonn and facilitate progress on ensuring meaningful youth participation in the UNFCCC.

Oceans Dialogue

• Australia will participate in the annual Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue.
• Bonn is an opportunity to demonstrate the importance of the ocean’s role in climate change mitigation and adaptation and strengthen ocean-based climate action.

 

Update on Pacific and First Nations Engagement

Pacific Engagement

• Pacific engagement is critical in the context of the bid to co-host COP31.
• If successful, we look forward to working closely with Pacific partners to design and deliver a COP that brings profile to the unique climate change challenges faced by the region, accelerates global climate action and captures the economic opportunities in the net-zero transition.

First Nations

• Australia will be actively involved at the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform (LCIPP) Facilitative Working Group (FWG) Meeting 9 in Bonn (31 May – 3 June) and in the LCIPP mandated events across the first week of SB58.
• Australia has nominated to host the LCIPP Pacific Regional Gathering in Australia later in 2023.
• The Australian Pavilion at COP28 will also once again have a strong focus on First Nations stories, experiences and solutions.

 

Road to COP28 in Dubai

COP28 Presidency Priorities

• The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has described its objectives as to host a COP that is outcomes-focussed and that re-injects a sense of optimism and hope into climate negotiations.
• It has outlined a number of priorities for COP28, including:
  • delivery of the first Paris Agreement Global Stocktake of collective progress towards the Paris goals; 
  • conclusion of the work on tracking progress towards the global adaptation goal; 
  • hosting a practical conversation about energy transition including achieving rapid growth in renewables; 
  • focusing on inclusion of diverse constituencies in climate change action, including youth. 

Update on Australia’s Pavilion at COP28

• Australia will again host a Pavilion again at COP28.
• We look forward to working closely with you to build on our COP27 success and deliver another pavilion we can all be very proud of.
• More information will be available in the coming months on thematic priorities for the Pavilion and how you can propose events.