By Faridat Salifu
Global civil society organisation ActionAid has raised concern over the direction of negotiations at the ongoing UN climate talks in Bonn, citing uneven progress across key thematic areas.
The group said discussions so far have shown growing momentum on Just Transition frameworks but warned that climate finance remains a major sticking point.
Teresa Anderson, Global Lead on Climate Justice at ActionAid, described the outcomes of the first week as a combination of “good, bad and ugly.”
She said governments appeared increasingly interested in the idea of a Just Transition, which she believes could become a central outcome at COP30 later this year.
According to her, agreeing a formal mechanism on Just Transition in Belém, Brazil, would demonstrate that climate action can be inclusive of workers, communities, and vulnerable populations.
She noted that such a framework could link climate policy with job creation, food security, and access to energy in low-income settings.
However, ActionAid expressed frustration over the continued absence of grant-based climate finance from developed countries.
The group said wealthy nations were still reluctant to provide public finance without conditions, despite growing climate impacts in the Global South.
Anderson criticised efforts to meet the UK£1.3 trillion finance target through market mechanisms such as loans, carbon offset schemes, and corporate investments.
She said these instruments do not represent genuine support and instead risk pushing vulnerable countries deeper into debt.
Describing private climate finance as a “Trojan Horse,” she warned that such models may widen global inequalities under the guise of partnership.
The negotiations in Bonn are technical sessions under the UNFCCC and are intended to lay the groundwork for decisions at COP30.
As talks enter their second week, expectations are focused on progress toward a globally agreed Just Transition framework and stronger commitments to public, non-debt climate finance.
ActionAid and other civil society organisations have called on negotiators to prioritise justice, equity, and historical responsibility in all decisions moving forward.
