Against the backdrop of growing geopolitical instability and heightened concerns over global energy security, the June 2026 64th Subsidiary Bodies meetings (SB64) in Bonn will be an important opportunity for the UN climate regime to demonstrate the continued value of international cooperation.
Governments are navigating simultaneous pressures to accelerate clean energy transition, ensure reliable and affordable energy access, protect domestic industries, and respond to increasingly severe and frequent climate impacts —all in the context of economic uncertainty and volatility. Against this backdrop, the ability of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to support coordinated, credible, relevant, and relatable international action has become increasingly important.
At the same time, the UN climate regime itself is navigating a new phase. Following the conclusion of the first global stocktake (GST1) and the first full Paris ambition cycle, the era of foundational negotiations is over, and the central challenge is now demonstrating that the UNFCCC can drive implementation at the pace and scale required.
The 31st Conference of Parties (COP31) this November in Antalya, Türkiye—and SB64—will be critical opportunities to show how the UNFCCC process and COP outcomes can improve the geopolitical environment and reinforce confidence in collective climate action. If effective, COP31 could ultimately be remembered not only for advancing implementation of the Paris Agreement, but also for reinforcing the broader value of multilateral cooperation at a time of heightened international uncertainty.
To achieve this COP31 will need to counter increasingly common narratives that portray the Paris Agreement as ineffective or disconnected from economic and political realities. Parties will need to demonstrate that multilateral climate cooperation remains central to delivering effective climate action in a way that resonates not only with governments, but also with people around the world, including the private sector and other non-Party stakeholders.
SB64 will be a pivotal moment for unlocking the political momentum needed to ensure that COP31 is a success. It is crucial that Parties arrive prepared and eager to make meaningful progress across a wide range of mandates.
Given that the SBs account for two out of the three formal UNFCCC negotiating weeks held each year, it will be essential to utilize the time in Bonn to prepare near-final versions of draft decisions for adoption as was the practice in the past. More recently the SBs have become bogged down by prolonged agenda disputes and have failed to advance negotiating texts to a level of maturity to allow for easy adoption. This places COPs, which already have a packed agenda, under unnecessary additional stress. If Parties can substantially advance technical negotiations at SB64, COP31 could focus on resolving the most contentious political issues, thus improving procedural efficiency, reducing negotiating bottlenecks, and helping restore confidence in the multilateral climate process. In a time of intense strain in the multilateral system, including through reduced UN budgets, the two weeks of SB64 must be leveraged to maximize progress—not wasted.
What is mandated at SB64?
2026 Reviews
A number of work programmes and institutional processes are scheduled for review in 2026, providing an opportunity for SB64 to shape the future shape of the UNFCCC architecture. These include:
The Sharm el-Sheikh Mitigation Ambition and Implementation Work Programme (MWP): The MWP — currently the only formal agenda item specifically dedicated to mitigation ambition and implementation — is due to conclude, with the possibility of extension to be considered in 2026. At SB64, Parties are expected to begin discussions on the effectiveness of the work programme and possible options for its continuation. To avoid losing the MWP altogether, Parties may need to consider opportunities to improve its efficacy and political relevance, including by strengthening synergies with other UNFCCC processes and ensuring clearer links to implementation and investment outcomes.
The Sharm el-Sheikh joint work on implementation of climate action on agriculture and food security (SJWA): As the four-year joint work is mandated to report to COP31, Parties are expected to review the progress and outcomes achieved so far. Discussions at SB64 could also begin to explore possible next steps for the SJWA, including extending the SJWA, establishing a successor work programme or agenda item, or advancing work on agriculture and food systems through other institutional channels.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Just Transition Work Programme (JTWP): With the review of the effectiveness and efficiency of the JTWP and consideration of its continuation mandated for November, Parties at SB64 are expected to develop terms of reference for its review.
The Technology Mechanism (TM): SB64 is expected to initiate the second periodic assessment of the technology mechanism, and continue consideration of alignment between processes relating to the review of the Climate Technology Centre and Network and the periodic assessment of the Technology Mechanism.
Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE): The midterm review of the Glasgow work programme on ACE is mandated for 2026, and preparatory discussions may begin to shape expectations around effectiveness, implementation gaps, and future priorities.
Article 6.8: SB64 will launch the review of the work programme under Article 6.8 on non-market approaches, providing an opportunity for Parties to assess its effectiveness.
The fact that these reviews are occurring simultaneously presents an opportunity for Parties to step back and reflect on what is working well, what may require reform, and whether the growing number of work programmes are being used strategically and efficiently. There may also be scope to consider how synergies across processes can be strengthened while avoiding duplication and fragmentation.
Importantly, for those work programmes that are up for renewal, Parties could also consider evaluating how the timelines, inputs, and outputs can be better aligned with the five-year Paris ambition cycle, so that they can more effectively support implementation of and inform future GST outcomes.
Other key negotiations at SB64
In addition to the reviews above, SB64 will also advance negotiations on key issues, including:
Adaptation: The SBs are tasked with undertaking technical work to improve metadata and methodologies for the Belém Adaptation Indicators, including by establishing a technical task force to contribute to that work. The Belém – Addis Vision on adaptation is a two-year policy alignment process by Parties, established at COP30, to: (i) test the Belém Adaptation Indicators, including in consultation with relevant practitioners and other stakeholders; and (ii) make use of these Indicators as appropriate and as relevant in their reporting and planning processes. Parties at SB64 will also need to further define the technical and structural elements of the Belém – Addis Vision on adaptation, which will conclude at COP32.
The global stocktake (GST): At COP30, Parties invited the Subsidiary Body Chairs to ensure sufficient time for each phase of the GST. With GST2 set to launch at COP31, some Parties and NPS have expressed a desire for the SB Chairs to set out the schedule for the GST2 process, including when each phase is expected to start, and whether there will be intersessional meetings or work.
Climate finance: In the COP30 Mutirão decision, Parties decided to start a establish a new work programme on climate finance, including on Article 9.1 (on the responsibilities of developed countries to provide climate finance) in the context of all of Article 9 (on climate finance more broadly).
Cooperation with other international organizations: Building on discussions at SB62 and SB63, Parties are expected to discuss ways to enhance the inclusiveness of cooperation with other international organizations, including the Rio Conventions. These discussions will take place in the context of (i) a “triple COP year,” whereby all of the Rio Conventions will convene, (ii) ongoing work under the UN80 reform initiative, including work to improve multilateral environmental agreements and their synergies under Work Package 27, and (iii) discussions on how to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals in the second half of this critical decade, what a post-2030 development framework could look like, and how to maximize climate-development synergies.
Mandated Events
Alongside the formal negotiations, SB64 will also host many mandated events. While these processes are not necessarily expected to produce draft negotiating text or formal decisions, they can still play an important political and strategic role.
Some mandated events include:
The SJWA Workshop: A workshop in hybrid format on June 8-10 will focus on progress, challenges and opportunities related to identifying needs and accessing means of implementation for climate action on agriculture and food security, including sharing of best practices.
Baku Adaptation Road Map Workshop: The inaugural workshop will take place June 9 and will focus on initial implementation of activities under the Baku Adaptation Road Map convened by the SB Chairs with the support of the Secretariat, including preparation of a technical paper; topics include: aligning adaptation action in the context of the temperature goal of the Paris Agreement; strengthening coherence; implementation of the UAE Framework; knowledge sharing; and ensuring access to means of implementation for adaptation.
Veredas Dialogue on Article 2.1(c) of the Paris Agreement: Parties at COP30 agreed to establish a new Veredas Dialogue, which will be held June 10, to continue discussions on Article 2.1(c) on aligning all finance flows—public and private, domestic and international—with the temperature and resilience goals of the Paris Agreement.
Annual Dialogue on Oceans and Climate Change: The annual dialogue on the ocean and climate change on June 10 and 11 will focus on nationally determined contribution (NDC) priorities for oceans, means of implementation and ocean-climate-biodiversity synergies and international cooperation.
UAE Dialogue on implementing the outcomes of the GST: The first UAE Dialogue on implementing outcomes of the GST will take place June 10-11.
Third Session of the Facilitative, Multilateral Consideration for Progress: SB64 will host the 3rd session of the facilitative multilateral consideration of progress (FMCP) June 10 and 12, which will feature presentations from 37 Parties and comprising 50% of global emissions
Dialogue on Mountains and Climate Change: The dialogue on June 12 will focus on knowledge sharing from practical experiences advancing climate action in mountains through NDCs, NAPs, and BTRs, identifying entry points for mountains across UNFCCC workstreams, and the potential need to hold an annual dialogue on mountains.
Climate and Trade Dialogue: This first Climate and Trade Dialogue on June 13 held by the SBs with the participation of Parties and other stakeholders—including the International Trade Centre, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and the World Trade Organization—to consider opportunities, challenges and barriers in relation to enhancing international cooperation related to the role of trade.
Annual GST NDC dialogue: The third and final GST NDC Dialogue will take place June 16. Parties will consider whether to revive these dialogues after GST2.
In many cases, these mandated events provide opportunities to test emerging ideas, identify convergence across negotiating topics, elevate implementation challenges, and build political understanding ahead of COP31. They also create important spaces for engagement with non-Party stakeholders and international cooperative initiatives.
As Parties and others engage in these events, it will be important to connect technical deliberations with the broader political and economic realities shaping climate action globally. Demonstrating that the UNFCCC process can help support investment certainty, economic resilience, development priorities, and international cooperation may be essential to maintaining confidence in the multilateral system in the years ahead.
