Current notice - Nominations for COP29
Nominations for COP29 will be accepted until July 25, 2024. Your contact for nominations is Dr. Sandra Gilgan.
Cooperation with UN organizations and intergovernmental bodies
The United Nations is represented by 25 organizations in Bonn. UN Bonn works in the areas of climate change, desertification, biodiversity, health, human security, global volunteer work, vocational training, disaster risk management and satellite-based information systems and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In the areas of climate and biodiversity, the University and some BORA members are collaborating with UN agencies and intergovernmental bodies on assessments and solutions to the global climate and biodiversity crisis.
Good to know
COP5 & COP23
The first UN climate conference was held in Berlin in 1995. The fifth was held in Bonn in 1999, as was COP23 in 2017 - the founding moment of the Bonn Alliance for Sustainability Research.
BORA & UNFCCC
The University of Bonn one of 22 German universities registered with UNFCCC. Other registered BORA members are IDOS and the Max Planck Society.
IPCC Report
To contribute to the reports of the IPCC, one has to be appointed; four colleagues of BORA members have already been successfully nominated for authorship of the IPCC Report.
Participation in the field of climate
Climate Secretariat (UNFCCC)
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is the international environmental agreement on climate protection and climate justice at the center of political action with regard to the climate crisis. The 198 signatory states meet annually at the UN climate conferences (Conference of Parties, COPs, also known as the World Climate Summit), where concrete measures for climate protection are discussed. Here, so-called accredited observer organizations are permitted to send representatives to participate. It is also possible to participate in the Bonn Climate Change Conferences in this way.
Participation in UNFCCC meetings requires nomination through an online system; eventual participation depends on quota allocation by the UN.
Use the UNFCCC Submissions Tracker to find out how to give input to COPs eventhough you cannot attend in person. It also raises awareness about all other kinds of input opportunities.
Note: If you plan to participate in the Climate COP, please plan your participation early. Experience shows that the deadline for nominations is usually already in July.
Designated Contact Point for the University of Bonn:
Dr. Sandra Gilgan
s.gilgan@uni-bonn.de
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is a UN agency that provides a framework for governments, scientists, and IPCC staff to work together to produce the world's most reliable scientific assessments of climate change. Observer organizations can also send representatives to the meetings and plenary sessions.
At the IPCC, the University of Bonn is one of 14 accredited universities worldwide, along with Princeton, Cambridge and Yale. Other registered BORA members are IDOS and the Max Planck Society.
Participation in IPCC meetings requires nomination through an online system; eventual participation depends on quota allocation by the UN.
Designated Contact Point für die Universität Bonn:
Dr. Sandra Gilgan
s.gilgan@uni-bonn.de
To work on the reports of the IPCC, one must be appointed; the work is voluntary. In 2019, for example, the IPCC has invited nominations for experts to contribute to the Sixth Assessment Report (AR6).
Colleagues of BORA members have already been successfully nominated for authorship:
- Prof. Dr. Eike Lüdeling, University of Bonn:
Special Report on Climate Change and Land
Chapter 3: Desertification (Contributing Author) - PD Dr. Alisher Mirzabaev, formerly Center for Development Research (ZEF), University of Bonn
AR6 - Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability (AR6-WG2)
Chapter 16: Key risks across sectors and regions (Lead Author)
Cross-Chapter Paper: Deserts, Semi-arid Areas, and Desertification (Cross-Chapter Paper Lead)
Special Report on Climate Change and Land
Chapter 3: Desertification (Coordinating Lead Author)
- Prof. Dr. Lisa Schipper, GIUB, University of Bonn
IPCC Sixth Assessment Report, Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability
Chapter 18, Climate Resilient Development Pathways (Drafting Author) - Prof. Dr. Zita Sebesvari, United Nations University, Institute for Environment and Human Security, UNU-EHS
Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate
Chapter 4: Sea Level Rise and Implications for Low-Lying Islands, Coasts and Communities (Lead Author)
Participation in the field of biodiversity
Convention on Biological Diversity (UN CBD)
The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is the most important multilateral treaty for the protection of biodiversity. Its main objectives are the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of the components of biological diversity, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources. The Conference of the Parties (COPs) is the governing body of the Convention, driving its implementation through the decisions it takes at its regular meetings. Representatives of observer institutions are admitted to these meetings.
The University of Bonn is accredited as an observer organization.
Participation in UN CBD meetings requires nomination through an online system; eventual participation depends on quota distribution.
Designated Contact Point for the University of Bonn:
Jun.-Prof. Dr. Lisa Biber-Freudenberger
E-Mail: lfreuden@uni-bonn.de
Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)
In December 2010, the United Nations General Assembly decided to create the so-called Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), which compiles and assesses knowledge about biodiversity and ecosystem functions and their interrelationships and processes it for policy advice.
Identifying policy-relevant tools and methods to support policy formulation and implementation is a central task of IPBES. Unlike the IPCC, IPBES is not a United Nations body, but an independent intergovernmental committee designed to strengthen the interface between science and policy. It was established by 94 governments in Panama City on April 21, 2012; the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) provides secretariat services for IPBES; since early 2014, the IPBES Secretariat has been located on the UN Campus on the Rhine in Bonn.
The University of Bonn is accredited as an observer organization.
Nomination via an online system is required to attend IPBES meetings; eventual attendance depends on quota distribution.
Designated Contact Point für die Universität Bonn:
Dr. Henning Sommer
E-Mail: hsommer@uni-bonn.de
IPBES conducts regular and timely assessments of biodiversity and ecosystem services knowledge and linkages, which include comprehensive thematic, global, and regional assessments. To date, 8 IPBES assessments have been completed, to which experts are nominated for appointment with the help of national focal points. Jun.-Prof. Dr. Lisa Biber-Freudenberger (University of Bonn, Center for Development Research (ZEF)) is contributing to an upcoming assessment report.
Participation in the field of desertification
The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is an international agreement established in 1994 to combat desertification, land degradation, and biodiversity loss worldwide. Its primary goal is to support affected countries in developing sustainable solutions for soil restoration and protection. Particularly in dryland areas, the UNCCD aims to improve the living conditions of the population, reduce poverty, and stabilize the environment. The convention also promotes cooperation between states, organizations, and civil society to achieve long-term success in land use and climate protection.
The University of Bonn is accredited as an observer organization.
Nomination via an online system is required to attend UNCCD meetings.
