Bonn Voyage!
As part of my academic studies and research, I’m heading to Bonn, Germany, to attend the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s (UNFCCC) Subsidiary Body meetings. This is the 62nd version of these annual meetings, known as Subsidiary Bodies meetings (AKA SB62), and I will be an official observer through the University of Miami, where I earned my Juris Doctorate law degree last year and am currently completing my Ph.D. studies in climate resilience and environmental law.
It’s at these meetings that the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) and the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) conduct much of the technical and operational groundwork for global climate action that happens by the world’s nations. While the higher-profile Conference of the Parties (COP) meetings, such as those I’ve attended in recent years in Egypt (COP27) and Dubai (COP28), often make global headlines, the Subsidiary Bodies quietly drive the actual implementation of the Paris Agreement. And while the COP meetings move to various host cities each year, such as Belem, Brazil, this coming November, each year the Subsidiary Body meetings occur in Bonn and it is here that negotiators from around the world develop rules, evaluate progress, and build the systems that countries depend on to meet their climate commitments.
These annual sessions are absolutely critical for countries like the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), a Small Island Developing State (SIDS) in the Pacific Ocean at the frontlines of the climate crisis, mainly including sea level rise and a warming ocean’s impact on the fisheries they depend on for much of their food supply. As part of my studies, I’ll be partnering with FSM, which has long punched above its weight as a vocal powerhouse in international climate negotiations, championing ambitious climate finance goals, advancing loss and damage support, and leading global efforts on short-lived climate pollutants, such as methane and HFCs. For example, their updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) lays out bold targets across renewable energy, food and water security, coastal resilience, and disaster preparedness.
This opportunity to intimately observe FSM’s delegation and participate in the Subsidiary Body meetings will allow me to gain insight into how climate diplomacy works behind the scenes. The experience is deeply meaningful to me both academically and personally, and it’s a privilege to learn from FSM’s leadership while witnessing firsthand how countries like it advocate for justice, equity, and survival in multilateral spaces.
To learn more about FSM, the plight they face against climate change, and some of the incredible work they are doing by using science and traditional knowledge to protect and preserve their ocean resources, please check out this wonderful, brand-new documentary by National Geographic:
Allow me to end this post by extending my heartfelt thanks to those folks who have made this possible. Thank you to Dr. Jessica Owley and Val Fajardo, Environmental Law Fellow, at the University of Miami School of Law, whose mentorship and guidance have long supported my path in climate law and international environmental governance. And, thank you to the incredible team representing the Federated States of Micronesia, including Ana Maria Kleymeyer, Lucille Apis-Overhoff, Correy Abraham, and Clement Yow Mulalap, who, despite often challenging conditions due to our climate crisis, continue to lead with brilliance, urgency, and compassion.
As time allows, I will look forward to updating you on the UN negotiations from Bonn. Until then, “Bonn” voyage!