The Path to Paris, Part 1: Bonn Climate Change Conference

The March 2014 Bonn Climate Change Conference served as a critical session for the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP) to define the elements of a post-2020 universal climate agreement. A primary point of contention emerged regarding the scope of intended nationally determined contributions (INDCs), with developed nations viewing them as mitigation-only commitments while the G77/China sought to bundle them with adaptation and finance. The session also included technical workshops on renewable energy and energy efficiency to address the pre-2020 ambition gap and encourage subnational engagement.

• Parties are divided on the definition of intended nationally determined contributions (INDCs). Developed countries, including the United States, Canada, and New Zealand, argue that INDCs should refer only to mitigation numbers. Conversely, developing countries and the Group of 77/China contend that INDCs should be bundled to include adaptation, finance, and technology transfer.
• There is a general consensus that INDCs must be transparent and comparable, requiring specific data such as the base year, time period, and the percentage of national emissions, gases, and sectors covered.
• The European Union proposed an initial target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40 per cent by 2030 for each individual EU country, alongside a cumulative EU-level target of at least 27 per cent renewable energy by 2030.
• Under Workstream 2 of the ADP, the conference held technical expert meetings on energy efficiency and renewable energy to address the pre-2020 ambition gap, emphasizing the role of subnational actors and local government in reducing emissions.

APA

Harris, M. (2014). The Path to Paris, Part 1: Bonn Climate Change Conference. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/path_to_paris_commentary%282%29.pdf

Chicago

Harris, Melissa. The Path to Paris, Part 1: Bonn Climate Change Conference. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2014. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/path_to_paris_commentary%282%29.pdf.

Wikipedia

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BibTeX

@techreport{harris2014path, author = {Harris, Melissa}, title = {{The Path to Paris, Part 1: Bonn Climate Change Conference}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2014}, month = jul, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/path_to_paris_commentary%282%29.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }