Before Paris, Bonn: What Needs to Happen at Prelude to COP21

The briefing identifies critical areas for negotiation in Bonn ahead of COP21, including the five-year cycle for increasing mitigation ambition, the establishment of a long-term decarbonization goal, and the need for transparency and accountability in emissions reporting. It emphasizes that while 149 countries have submitted Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs), these plans are insufficient to keep global temperature rise below 2 degrees C without a robust framework for continuous improvement. The document also highlights the necessity of balancing finance between adaptation and mitigation, prioritizing grant finance for vulnerable nations, and addressing 'loss and damage' for impacts that cannot be adapted to.

• Current national climate plans (INDCs) from 149 countries, representing nearly 90 percent of global emissions, show progress but are insufficient to meet long-term temperature goals, necessitating a framework to keep global temperature rise below 2 degrees C (3.6 F).
• The agreement requires a review and ramp-up process for mitigation action every five years rather than every ten to account for rapid changes in science, technology, and policy.
• There is a need for a specific long-term goal for emissions, including an option for decarbonization over the century and a mechanism to ensure fairness.
• Climate finance needs more clarity regarding the communication of funds provided or received and the review of progress in mobilizing trillions of dollars for decarbonization, while prioritizing grant finance for the poorest and most vulnerable countries.
• The agreement must address 'loss and damage' for climate impacts that are impossible to adapt to, such as coral bleaching, the disappearance of glaciers, or rising seas threatening island nations.

APA

World Resources Institute (2015). Before Paris, Bonn: What Needs to Happen at Prelude to COP21. https://www.wri.org/insights/paris-bonn-what-needs-happen-prelude-cop21

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Before Paris, Bonn: What Needs to Happen at Prelude to COP21. 2015. https://www.wri.org/insights/paris-bonn-what-needs-happen-prelude-cop21.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Before Paris, Bonn: What Needs to Happen at Prelude to COP21 |date=15 October 2015 |url=https://www.wri.org/insights/paris-bonn-what-needs-happen-prelude-cop21 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitute2015before, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Before Paris, Bonn: What Needs to Happen at Prelude to COP21}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2015}, month = oct, url = {https://www.wri.org/insights/paris-bonn-what-needs-happen-prelude-cop21}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }