Why do the UNFCCC’s June Climate Meetings in Bonn matter for local peacebuilders?

From 8-18 June 2026, governments, UN agencies, researchers and civil society organisations will gather in Bonn, Germany, for the June Climate Meetings. While these meetings may seem far away from the reality of local peacebuilding work, many of the issues discussed in Bonn, such as locally-led climate adaptation and how to make the transition to a carbon-neutral world inclusive and just, are already affecting the safety and security of people and communities. And local peacebuilders are often the ones responding to these issues, having unique contextual knowledge. 

This Q&A explains what the June Climate Meetings are, why they matter for local peacebuilders, and how they can engage in Bonn and beyond.

What are the June Climate Meetings? 
 

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) hosts climate meetings throughout the year to ensure continuous action on climate change.

In Bonn, where the UNFCCC is headquartered, the June Climate Meetings bring together the scientific, technical and implementation experts (the ‘subsidiary bodies’) who support the work of the UNFCCC and Member State representatives (the ‘governing bodies’ or ‘Parties’). This is what gives the meetings the name SB64: this year, it is the 64th Session of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies (SB).

The purpose of the June Climate Meetings is to shape the agenda for the Conference of the Parties (COP) that takes place later in the year. In 2026, the  COP will be held in Turkey: COP31, or the 31st COP under the UNFCCC.

Why should local peacebuilders pay attention to the June Climate Meetings? 
 

Climate change does not cause conflict. Rather, it negatively affects the safety and security of people, communities and societies by exacerbating existing risks and acting as a threat multiplier. 

This isn’t new. Over the past 5 years, the connections between climate change, peace and security have increasingly been recognised at UNFCCC climate meetings. For instance, conflict sensitivity and peace were included in the official UNFCCC agenda through the COP29 Baku Call on Climate Action for Peace, Relief and Recovery or the COP28 Declaration on Climate, Relief, Recovery and Peace. Yet, in 2025 at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, peace dropped off the agenda. 

This can be considered a big setback because, without peace on the agenda, the climate meetings risk missing the UNFCCC’s goals to achieve a net-zero and climate-resilient future. In simpler terms, without peace, effective climate action is not possible, and vice versa; without climate sensitivity, there cannot be lasting peace.

In Bonn, international organisations, networks such as GPPAC, and civil society organisations (CSOs) are advocating to get peace back on the agenda to ensure that climate actions are conflict-sensitive, such as adaptation efforts, climate finance, energy transitions and mitigation plans.

How can local peacebuilders engage with the June Climate Meetings?
 

Local peacebuilders, their networks and the communities they serve have an important role in the UNFCCC climate negotiations, but may not always be aware of how they can contribute to the discussion.

Engagement with the June Climate Meetings begins before Bonn itself. Most of the preparatory work for the climate meetings happens in capitals where countries’ national positions are shaped by public consultation and priority-setting. For example, when governments develop their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) or National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), they consult with ministries, businesses and CSOs. 

To better understand how to participate and influence climate negotiations in your country, the UNFCCC offers several self-paced training modules, such as on the National Implementation of the Paris Agreement or on Mastering International Climate Negotiations for youth and newcomers. 

At GPPAC, we believe opportunities for meaningful and systematic engagement between national governments and civil society on the climate transition should be more frequent. Local peacebuilders have essential knowledge of how climate change influences human security and, in turn, how conflict undermines climate resilience, offering locally tested and scalable solutions to address these issues.

For the 2026 June Climate Meetings, you can follow official updates through the UNFCCC website and LinkedIn channel.

How can local peacebuilders stay engaged with the UNFCCC beyond the June Climate Meetings?
 

Throughout the year, the UNFCCC hosts various events for both accredited and non-accredited organisations. The best way to stay engaged is to monitor the UNFCCC calendar.  

Upcoming opportunities to engage in the UNFCCC’s process include Climate Week, which is typically held twice a year, with the next session taking place in Azerbaijan from 7–11 September. Another key opportunity is this year’s Pre-COP ministerial meeting, which will be hosted in the Pacific in October.  

At the Pre-COP, GPPAC Pacific members and the Pacific Women Mediators Network will champion conflict sensitivity, climate justice, and human security.