Bonn climate negotiations: implementation phase begins for Paris climate agreement

International climate diplomats will gather in Bonn from 16 to 26 May for their first meeting since the adoption of the Paris climate agreement.

International climate diplomats will gather in Bonn from 16 to 26 May for their first meeting since the adoption of the Paris climate agreement. This meeting marks the beginning of a new phase of climate change diplomacy with a focus on the technical structuring and specific implementation of the accords.

German Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks: ‘With Paris behind us, we are now entering the long phase of implementation. We intend to remain a driving force and support our partners as we together work towards achieving a carbon-neutral global economy. The Bonn meeting will focus on preparations for the next Climate Change Conference in Marrakesh. The German Government will actively support Morocco with preparations for the conference.’

The German Government has been assisting Morocco with developing solar energy since 2010. A new priority area of cooperation activities between the two countries is the development of administrative capacity. A new competence centre for climate change mitigation and adaptation will advise Morocco on the implementation and development of its national climate policy. It will also provide strategic support to the country, which currently holds the Presidency of the UN climate talks, as it prepares to host the climate conference in November. BMUB is providing some EUR 4.5 million in funding for this project as part of its International Climate Initiative.

Taking place at working level and focusing initially on organisational issues, the Bonn talks will constitute the first meeting of the new Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA), at which it will elect the Co-Chairs and agree its working methods.

The Working Group is expected to engage in an initial exchange of opinions on the technical foundation of the Paris agreement: How exactly will the collective global review scheduled for 2018 work? What data do the countries need to supply for the new global transparency system? What specific assistance will be given to developing countries to aid them in establishing their climate change mitigation authorities?

Following the working-level debates on technical issues in Bonn, the German Government will use the Petersberg Climate Dialogue on 4 and 5 July to drive the international debate on the implementation of the Paris climate agreement at political level.
German Environment Minister Hendricks and the Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs will host a representative group of ministers in Berlin on the occasion of the dialogue.