Non-market-based Approaches to Climate Action: What to expect from the Bonn climate negotiations

The 7th meeting of The Glasgow Committee on Non-Market Approach (GCNMA) is to take place between 16 June and 26 June 2025 during the 62^nd meeting of the UN Climate Convention Subsidiary Bodies (SB) in Bonn. The decisions of this meeting will determine the future of the implementation of Article 6.8 non-market-based approaches (NMAs) under the Paris Agreement which has so far achieved very little.

But first, what is an NMA?

During this first phase of work, there has been extensive discussion amongst Parties to identify and understand what is meant by the term NMA. A wide range of thematic areas and initiatives have been identified, indicating both the high potential of this area of work, and the diversity of approaches to addressing climate change. The 6.8 discussion is unique as one of the only areas of work within the UNFCCC, which allows for deep substantive discussions concerning on the ground, real world climate action at the national level.

NMAs identified through the work of the GCNMA include, policy reform, subsidy reform, approaches to just transition, programmes addressing agriculture, food security and climate change, climate-resilient low-emission food systems, sustainable agricultural consumption and production, and incentives promoting commodities that are produced without deforestation and that enhance biodiversity. In addition to these thematic areas, initiatives that have been identified as undertaking NMAs include National Adaptation Plan (NAP) implementation, the work of the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform (LCIPP) of the UNFCCC, the NDC Partnership, and the work under the Convention on Biological Diversity.

To date, only one NMA has been uploaded to the NMA platform. This is the Adaptation Benefit Mechanism (ABM) and was registered by Uganda with co-hosts Kenya, Madagascar, Benin, Gambia, Guinea, and Nigeria in November 2024.

Implementing the GCNMA Roadmap

The GCNMA was established at UN Climate COP26 in Glasgow and has put in place a roadmap to guide its implementation. The roadmap is divided into two phases and began in 2023. The first phase ended in 2024, and the second phase is now commencing. The work programme activities in the first phase focused on:

• Developing and implementing tools, including the online NMA Platformto record and exchange information on NMAs;
• Identifying and sharing information, best practices, lessons learned and case studies in relation to developing and implementing NMAs;
• Replicating successful NMAs;
• Facilitate enabling environments and successful policy frameworks;
• Enhancing engagement by the private sector, civil society organizations and vulnerable and impacted sectors and communities;
• Promoting cooperation between Parties that support the implementation of ambitious NDCs; and
• Establishing guidelines, procedures and safeguards to facilitate NMAs;

Barriers to implementation of the first phase

A rapid assessment of the Phase 1 activities was undertaken during COP29 in Baku in 2024, which identified a number of barriers to and shortcomings in implementation of Article 6.8 namely:

• The Platform is not accessible to non-party stakeholders and poses a challenge to register NMAs;
• The platform requires re-designing in order to implement its match making functions and make it more dynamic;
• Absence of any defined criteria for identifying NMAs;
• The two-party requirement for registering NMA is a hindrance for non-party stakeholders;
• Perceived lack of financial support and investment for NMA projects; and
• Lack of capacity building in understanding and identifying NMAs.

CGIAR appreciates the importance of NMAs in addressing challenges associated with agriculture, food security and food systems and participated in this discussion, presenting a proposal for a rapid assessment tool for identifying NMAs. This tool could support NMA Focal Points and promote the registration of NMAs on the NMA Platform by providing structured and accessible guidance, and to enhance transparency and collaboration within the NMA framework. It could simplify NMA registration by addressing the complexities and varying levels of expertise among Parties, thereby making the process more user-friendly and accessible. The CGIAR has also called for increased emphasis on NMAs through readiness support at the Green Climate Fund (GCF).

The challenges ahead

The reflections from the in-session workshop and the 6^th Meeting of the GCNMA in Baku prompted the SBSTA Chair to invite Parties and observers to submit their views on:

• Barriers to using the NMA Platform and potential solutions, with a view to enabling the NMA Platform to be used to its full potential;
• Their engagement with the NMA Platform and the challenges encountered in unlocking its full potential; and
• How non-market approaches can support a Party’s implementation of its nationally determined contribution;

In this round of submissions, ten Parties, one UN agency and six admitted observers submitted their response. Parties included European Union, Mauritius, Palau (AOSIS), Chile (AILAC), Like Minded Developing Countries (LMDC), Uganda (Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia) and Bolivia. The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) was the only UN agency to make a submission. For admitted Observers, Climate Land Ambition and Rights Alliance (CLARA), Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN), Rare and Conservation international, WWF, Latin American Climate Lawyers Initiative for Mobilizing Action – LACLIMA/YCL, CIAT and Alliance of Biodiversity International submitted their response.

A brief analysis of the submissions undertaken by CIAT indicates the following, which should form the basis for the discussion during the conference in Bonn. The submissions analysis identifies:

• a lack of awareness and understanding of the NMA platform;
• limited knowledge and technical capacity to engage on NMAs under Article 6.8;
• absence of clear frameworks to support implementation of Article 6.8;
• a lack of a clear and standardized operational framework to effectively integrate non-market approaches into national climate action plans;
• a lack of adequate and dedicated financial resources and technical assistance in design and implementation of NMA;
• a need for comprehensive guidance on how to include NMAs in NDCs and link them to the Transparency Framework;
• the exclusion of non-Party stakeholders and restricted participation and submission rights hinder the implementation of NMAs; and
• The exclusion of single entity submissions to promote and create partnerships by using the NMA Platform creates a barrier for the participation of non-Party stakeholders.

In the context of unlocking the full potential of the NMA platform, Philippines, Mauritius, Bolivia, and LMDC suggested enhancing technical understanding and implementation skills related to understanding of NMAs, identification and implementation of the NMA with Bolivia suggesting a readiness programme for capacity building for rapid and robust implementation of Article 6.8. The European Union (EU) suggested that developing good practices and examples in the use of the platform itself will support its full potential. EU, Palau (AOSIS), Uganda, Bolivia have all shown concerns about navigation, sector classification, visibility of resources (e.g., user manual), and general user-friendliness.

In their submissions, Bolivia, Mauritius and LMDC have advocated for involving a wider range of stakeholders (e.g. civil society, social organizations, Indigenous Peoples, local communities, among others). The establishment of national coordination mechanisms and frameworks to support NMAs and integrate them into national climate policies is proposed by Mauritius and Palau (AOSIS).

Mauritius, Bolivia, Uganda, Chile (AILAC), Palau (AOSIS) and LMDC pointed out the need for targeted financial mechanisms, match-making tools, and clarity on how NMAs could be linked to funding. Bolivia has suggested creation of a Green Climate Fund specific window for NMA financing.

Acknowledging the role of NMAs in supporting the implementation of NDCs, the submissions highlighted:

• Technical training, local expertise, and grassroots knowledge including Indigenous knowledge as essential for implementing NMAs to support NDCs;
• Enhanced access to climate-resilient technologies to support adaptation, mitigation, and NDC implementation;
• Focussing on co-benefits of NMAs including mitigation and resilience;
• Adopting ecosystem-based adaptation;
• The need to align NMAs with development goals in agriculture, energy, water, and tourism sectors;
• Inclusive and equitable transitions; and
• The need to establish a dynamic and active NMA Platform to support finance, technology transfer and capacity building to the NMA needs of developing country Parties, as identified by each of them to reach their NDCs.

The upcoming 7th meeting of the GCNMA is an important opportunity to harness the unique potential of NMAs and related national strategies in addressing the urgent challenges of climate change. NMAs represent an innovative approach that transcends traditional market mechanisms, allowing for substantive discussions and real-world climate action tailored to the specific country needs and circumstances. However, with only one NMA currently registered, it is clear there is a need to address the barriers that hinder their implementation.

The challenges identified—from limited awareness and technical capacity to inadequate financial support—must be urgently addressed to fully leverage the NMA Platform. This innovative framework offers a pathway to integrate diverse solutions, which can collectively drive the much-needed paradigm shift to address the climate and biodiversity crisis.

The discussions in Bonn will shape the future landscape of the implementation of Article 6.8. By prioritizing and investing in NMAs, we can unlock powerful solutions that not only advance our climate goals but also foster resilience and sustainable development. The urgency to act is clear: we must seize this moment to elevate NMAs as a cornerstone of our climate strategy and ensure they play a central role in our fight against climate change.

Written by Stephen Leonard and Ma. Eliza J. Villarino

Note: We would like to acknowledge Souparna Lahiri, an expert on Article 6.8 of the Paris Agreement, for his input to this article.