With COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye just around the corner, government delegates, climate negotiators, representatives of international organizations and policymakers gathered in Bonn, Germany, for the Bonn Climate Change Conference from 8 to 18 June 2026.
The conference presented the last opportunity to shape the technical and political groundwork for COP31. This year’s agenda covered several of the most pressing climate priorities, including adaptation, climate finance, agriculture and food security, technology, loss and damage, the just transition and progress on implementing the outcomes of the Global Stocktake.
We invited members of our climate justice community to share their reflections on the discussions, key outcomes and what they believe these developments mean in the lead-up to COP31.
Progress on the Just Transition
One of the conference’s most significant achievements was advancing negotiations on the Just Transition agenda. Parties agreed on a package of draft texts that will now move forward for consideration at COP31. This builds on the momentum from COP30, where governments agreed to establish a Just Transition Mechanism to support communities through the transition to low-carbon economies. Not only is this an important step towards ensuring that climate action reduces emissions, but it recognises the need to support workers, communities and countries facing the social and economic impacts of decarbonisation.
Limited Progress on Adaptation and Climate Finance
While progress was made on advancing the Just Transition agenda, many of the most pressing issues remained unresolved. Parties were unable to reach agreement on key areas such as reducing fossil fuel emissions, scaling up adaptation finance, or establishing indicators to measure progress towards the Global Goal on Adaptation.
Last year’s COP30 raised expectations that a finalized set of indicators would be agreed upon to measure progress toward the Global Goal on Adaptation ahead of COP31. However, no agreement was reached at Bonn. Without a shared framework for measuring adaptation progress, it remains difficult to assess whether countries are becoming more resilient to the impacts of climate change.
Furthermore, climate finance remained one of the most contentious topics throughout the conference. Long-standing tensions between the Global North and Global South persisted, particularly around fulfilling previous financial commitments and ensuring sufficient support for adaptation in the world’s most climate-vulnerable regions.
Climate Action in an Uncertain Geopolitical Landscape
The conference also took place against an increasingly complex geopolitical backdrop, influencing both the tone and substance of negotiations.
Growing concerns about global security, economic uncertainty and energy markets underscored the interconnected nature of climate and geopolitical challenges. Recent disruptions to global oil supply highlighted the risks of continued dependence on fossil fuels and the importance of accelerating the transition to more resilient and sustainable energy systems.
Reintegrating Security and Peace into the Climate Agenda
During the conference, the Presidency of Türkiye launched its Global Climate Action Agenda. The agenda has a strong focus on implementing climate commitments. Across its priority areas, the Presidency highlighted multiple dimensions of security, including accelerating electrification, expanding renewable energy, supporting the transition away from fossil fuels, urban security and a stronger food-water-climate nexus for food security.
However, despite this broad framing of security, peace and conflict prevention are notably absent from the agenda. This omission risks overlooking the safety and security of people, communities and societies living in climate-vulnerable and conflict-affected regions, where climate risks and fragility increasingly intersect. Recent World Bank analysis further highlights the growing overlap between climate vulnerability and conflict-affected contexts.
According to Victoria Seeck, a Climate-Sensitive Peacebuilding Policy Officer, peace was featured more prominently in the international climate agenda before COP30. As militarisation and security concerns continue to grow globally, there is a renewed need to ensure that peacebuilding, conflict prevention and human security are once again recognised as integral components of effective climate action.
Looking Ahead to COP31
While the Bonn Climate Change Conference delivered important progress on the Just Transition agenda, it also demonstrated how much work remains.
Reflecting on the outcomes of the conference, Jule Schnakenberg, Director of World’s Youth for Climate Justice, said:
“The UNFCCC SB64 came at a time when the world was aching to see decisive action. On the road to COP31, the focus of the conversation has really shifted to implementation – and this implementation can only happen backed by adequate financing. We saw a focus by the presidency on electrification, waste, and circular economic models. However, what we really need – recognition of science, the utmost urgency of deep mitigation action to save 1.5, and compensation for harmed communities still seemed a distant dream for some. More important than ever, that states still cooperate – however, the pace and level of ambition remains shocking.”
As climate impacts continue to intensify, progress will depend on whether countries are willing to match commitments with adequate finance and greater ambition. For communities on the frontlines of climate change, timely action is not simply a matter of policy, it is essential for resilience, security and sustainable development.
COP31 will provide an important opportunity for governments to rebuild trust, strengthen international cooperation and translate negotiations into meaningful commitments that respond to the scale and urgency of the climate crisis.
