With finance missing and trust fraying, Bonn talks expose the growing disconnect between global pledges and African realities.
By Ethical Business News Desk | 28 June 2025
As the UN Climate Change Conference in Bonn (SB62) drew to a close this week, one truth became uncomfortably clear: while climate ambition may be written into global frameworks, it remains absent from the cheque books of the world’s richest nations.
Held as the mid-year checkpoint on the road to COP30 in Brazil this November, the Bonn talks were billed as a crucial moment to close gaps, build trust, and deliver on promises. But for many African nations, civil society observers, and frontline communities, the summit felt like déjà vu – another round of procedural optimism stymied by political inertia and financial neglect.
“The lack of urgency demonstrated by states removes the hope for survival of women, youth and Indigenous People,” said Malawi, speaking on behalf of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) at the closing plenary.
Climate Finance: Still the achilles’ heel
Finance dominated negotiations and frustrations alike. Talks focused on operationalising the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) – a pledge to mobilise at least $1.3 trillion annually by 2035. But developed countries continued to resist binding commitments, instead promoting private finance as the primary lever for climate investment.
African delegates were quick to push back.
“Private actors can’t be held accountable, and their investments don’t reach where the need is greatest,” argued Irene Anena of ACT Uganda Forum.
“Public finance must be the backbone of climate action.”
Tanzania, on behalf of the African Group of Negotiators, highlighted broken promises and delays that are eroding trust in the multilateral system. With adaptation needs rising across Africa, from coastal erosion in Senegal to droughts in the Sahel, negotiators warned that inaction on finance will turn ambition into fiction.
Adaptation
On adaptation, the technical agenda focused on implementing the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) established at COP28. But disputes quickly emerged over the inclusion of finance indicators – essential for measuring progress and accountability.
“Without sufficient, predictable finance, the GGA risks becoming just another well-written document,” said Anena.
The call for transformational adaptation, where countries not only respond to but reshape systems to withstand climate shocks, was strong. But without funds, transformational plans remain aspirational.
Loss and damage: the vanishing pillar
Perhaps the most concerning development was the sidelining of loss and damage, a crucial pillar for African countries already facing irreversible impacts. Despite its formal inclusion through the Warsaw International Mechanism and the fund established at COP28, it received limited attention in Bonn.
“The dream of having loss and damage treated with the seriousness it deserves is fading,” said Sostina M. Takure of ACT Zimbabwe. “It must be prioritised in the Baku to Belém Roadmap.”
Observers also warned against neglecting non-economic losses—like culture, identity, and biodiversity—particularly relevant to Indigenous and rural communities across the continent.
Gender justice
One of the more hopeful threads in Bonn was the progress on the Gender Action Plan (GAP). A draft was agreed upon through an inclusive process that drew strong participation from women’s rights groups, Indigenous communities, and youth.
“The inclusion of women environmental defenders, care work, and gender-based violence is encouraging,” said Jessica Novia of YAKKUM, with Natural Justice and African groups playing key roles in shaping the text.
Yet concerns remain. The COP30 Presidency’s failure to include gender among its top 30 objectives raised red flags, and budget constraints continue to threaten the implementation of gender-just climate action.
“You can’t build resilience on the backs of women and then cut support,” said Elena Cedillo of Lutheran World Federation.
Where is the leadership?
The absence of the United States from the talks cast a long shadow, but African observers said the bigger failure lies in the collective unwillingness of major polluters to act decisively. Brazil, as incoming COP30 host, received praise for its diplomatic tone but was urged to move from facilitation to leadership.
“Brazil must lead with vision, not just coordination,” said Julius Mbatia of ACT Alliance.
“We need bold, fair and practical outcomes – especially on finance.”
There is growing hope that upcoming moments, including the Africa Climate Summit, the UN General Assembly, and finance ministerial meetings, can generate momentum. But hope alone won’t shift the needle.
From workshops to justice
The message from Africa at Bonn was unambiguous: enough of technical exercises and polite negotiations. The era of workshops must give way to real implementation, with real finance, rooted in justice.
“Climate finance is not a handout,” said Illari Aragon of Christian Aid.
“It is a historic responsibility.”
With only months left before COP30 convenes in the heart of the Amazon, countries must arrive in Belém ready not only to talk – but to deliver. For African nations on the frontline, anything less could cost lives, livelihoods, and the future of generations to come.
Sources: UNFCCC SB62 official documents and briefings (unfccc.int); ACT Alliance Africa statements; Christian Aid Climate Justice reports; Lutheran World Federation (LWF) climate and gender advocacy; Natural Justice updates from Bonn; ISSD; World Resources Institute commentary; African Group of Negotiators (AGN) plenary remarks; DanChurchAid reflections; ECCO Climate diplomacy analysis; Africa Climate Summit outcomes.
