UN climate conference interrupted as protesters for Palestine take stage

ANKARA (AA) – The opening ceremony of the UN Bonn Climate Change Conference had to be suspended for a while as two Free Palestine movement demonstrators took the stage to protest continuing Israeli attacks on Gaza.

Climate talks in Bonn, Germany, were disrupted as the activists raised a Palestinian flag and a banner with the slogan “No BAU (business as usual) during a genocide” during the opening speech by Simon Steele, director of the UN Climate Convention.

No flags or banners were allowed at the event, so action was taken to remove the protesters from the stage.

After they were taken out by the UN security, the chair resumed the plenary, saying: “The situation has been normalized.”

However, the protesters managed to illustrate the vital point that in the middle of a live genocide, the world must take immediate and decisive measures to end the bloodbath in occupied Gaza before anything else.

In his opening speech, Steele started his words by mentioning the Paris Agreement. “The design phase is completed.”

“And our task now is to put that machinery to work fully and fairly,” he said, adding: “Crucially, we need every part of this machinery fully functioning and working coherently together.”

“We must also move towards better carbon markets by making progress on Article 6 here in Bonn,” he said, referring to how countries can pursue voluntary cooperation to reach their climate targets under the article as it enables international cooperation to tackle climate change and unlock financial support for developing countries.

“Getting these markets to work can unlock more funding for national climate plans and adaptation,” he said, adding: “That’s why we convened in parties and stakeholders during these meetings to build consensus on a way forward at COP29 or nationally determined contributions.”

Steele also stressed that the scope should be broader, encompassing entire economies and all greenhouse gas emissions, with alignment to the 1.5-degree goal.

Underlining that the “benefits should flow to all, including women, Indigenous peoples, youth, and those most vulnerable to climate impact hitting right now,” the official underlined: “There is no one-size-fits-all after all, they are nationally determined and we know many parties will need help putting them together, especially the most vulnerable nations.”

– Tools to support countries in fulfilling climate promises –

The UN Development Programme will launch practical tools to support countries in fulfilling their climate promises, he pointed out.

This includes the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) 3.0 navigator, developed with the NDC partnership, aiding parties in accessing information and tools for developing new NDCs with a focus on real implementation and transparency under the Paris Agreement, he said.

– ‘Gender equality and climate action must rise in tandem’

“Climate change impacts are not isolated events,” he stressed, adding that they transcend borders, disproportionately harming women and vulnerable groups.

He further underscored the necessity for comprehensive national adaptation plans spanning all sectors.

“To date, only 57 parties have put together a plan,” he criticized, underlining that this number has to grow until COP29 in Baku.

He said: “We need every country to have a plan by 2025 and make progress on implementing them by 2030.”

“This approach has its logical and human limits and growing costs,” he maintained. “But we still need sustainable and consistent funding to meet all your needs and these growing mandates.”

– Catastrophic warming –

“Without global cooperation, we risk catastrophic warming up to five degrees, with current trends indicating around 2.7 degrees,” he indicated. “This is still ruinously high.”

“As we approach the halfway point towards our shared goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees this century, we must recognize the steep road ahead and the need for accelerated climate action,” he said.

There’s no room for rest stops or setbacks at this pivotal juncture, the official warned.

“We must uphold trust, respect, and full adherence to the code of conduct, focusing on finding solutions and forging pathways forward as we hand over the process to the co-chairs,” he added.

Following Steele, Brazilian and Russian delegations also took the microphone.

Approximately, 6,000 attendees, primarily comprising representatives from national delegations and civil society organizations, will convene in Bonn, Germany from June 3 to June 13.

These meetings, organized by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) at its headquarters, aim to sustain the momentum of addressing urgent climate issues between COP sessions.

This gathering serves as the UNFCCC’s sole regular climate summit apart from the COP meetings.

The outcome of these negotiations is expected to significantly shape the decisions taken at the 28th UN Climate Change Conference.

The next UN Climate Change Conference will be held in Azerbaijan’s capital Baku on November 11-22.