Statement by Ambassador Adão Soares Barbosa, Chair of LDC Group at the Joint SBI/SBSTA Opening Plenary (SB64)

8th June 2026

Chairs of the Subsidiary Bodies, COP Presidencies, and distinguished colleagues,

Timor Leste has the honour to speak as the chair of the 44 Least Developed Countries.

We congratulate the COP31 Presidency Turkiye and the COP31 Presidency of Negotiations Australia. I would also like to congratulate the COP30 presidency Brazil for the successful outcome in Belem and delivering the Global Mutirao decision. 

Chairs, despite contributing the least to emissions, LDCs are the most exposed to increasing climate impacts. While political attention shifts, intensifying climate shocks are eroding hard-earned development progress, breaching adaptation limits, and leading to loss and damage.  

Multilateralism must rise to the challenge; ensuring the highest possible global ambition and delivering meaningful support to achieve it are necessary for our group’s survival. 

Chairs, SB64 follows the historic endorsement by the UNGA of the ICJ Advisory Opinion, which affirms that the 1.5°C limit remains the Parties’ agreed primary temperature goal under the Paris Agreement.

The science is clear. LDCs are deeply concerned by the inadequacy of global mitigation efforts. We are now heading to a world where some level of overshoot of 1.5°C is unavoidable. For LDCs, 1.5°C is a lifeline. We must step up. The Mitigation Work Programme must respond to this urgency, including implementation of the first GST outcome.

Chairs, LDCs are already demonstrating leadership in implementing the Paris Agreement.

23 LDCs have submitted NDCs 3.0 with many in preparation, while 27 have prepared NAPs and 15 have submitted BTRs. We have done our part but require enhanced support to implement these plans. We acknowledge the challenging international circumstances but this cannot be used to delay or backtrack on existing climate finance commitments. 

On adaptation, 

On the GGA Framework and indicators, we must build political momentum generated in Belém as this is a priority agenda for us. SB64 must deliver clear and strong modalities for the Belém-Addis Vision, covering technical work across all of the workstreams, improvement and not reopening of the 59 indicators and a pathway for testing them by Parties. At this time we must focus on the improvement and operationalisation of the indicators, rather than reopening them. In order for these indicators to serve as a critical input to GST2, work must move forward from here.

On the Baku Adaptation Roadmap, this is a critical instrument for driving real implementation of the GGA. We are deeply concerned by the late announcement of the first BAR workshop topic and concept note, which has not given Parties adequate time to prepare. Unfortunately, the proposed topic does not reflect the way forward agreed under the CMA 7 decision, nor the submissions of many LDC Parties. On the workshop concept note specifically, we cannot accept the merging of means of implementation with questions of coherence and adaptation architecture. These are not equivalent topics and means of implementation cannot be treated as a sub-item to be covered in a panel discussion. It requires a dedicated space, grounded in Article 9.1, as mandated by CMA7. A two-hour conversation that ticks a box is not what our countries need, and it is not what was agreed.

On mitigation and RSO,

The LDC Group sees the Mitigation Work Programme and the Research and Systematic Observations as essential pillars. MWP must evolve beyond a forum for exchanging views and enhance mitigation action and implementation. The MWP, with support of the best available science, supports the implementation of the outcomes of the first Global Stocktake, facilitates the identification of practical solutions, and helps unlock finance, technology transfer and capacity-building needed for developing countries to pursue ambitious low-carbon development pathways. 

On RSO, the LDC Group recognizes the critical role of scientific research in strengthening climate resilience and informing policy decisions. The 18th Research Dialogue addresses three themes of direct relevance to LDCs. On climate modelling, we urge attention to Paris Aligned 1.5 overshoot pathways and their differentiated impacts on LDCs. On sectoral transformation, we look forward to hearing about pathways which address the needs and priorities of LDCs. On climate risks, glacier retreat, GLOFs, compounding droughts, extreme heat, and slow-onset losses are present realities, which we would like to see reflected in the discussions. SBSTA 64 conclusions must reflect RD18 outcomes

We welcome the continued engagement of the scientific community, including the contributions of the IPCC, WMO and regional research institutions. However, significant gaps remain in research capacity across many LDCs. Addressing these gaps requires predictable support, technology transfer, and sustained investment in local scientific and technical capacities. 

On finance

With the NCQG implementation underway through times of uncertainty, delivering meaningful progress towards the core goal of $300 billion per year by 2035 is crucial. This is an urgent priority.  

Our countries are making serious efforts to implement our climate action plans, however stronger commitment and effective delivery of commitments is needed to urgently scale-up support to secure the 1.5 target, implement adequate adaptation action and minimise loss and damage.

Here in Bonn, a smooth transition of the Adaptation Fund to exclusively serving the Paris Agreement is key to ensure that our countries have uninterrupted access to one of the most important  Fund. 

We look forward to engaging constructively to have an agreed text here in Bonn for consideration at CMA8 and CMP21. We must not delay any further. 

In the Mutirao decisions, we were able to agree on a two year work program on climate finance. While we welcome that outcome, we remain concerned that the proposed workplan  will not lead to the substantive outcomes needed to   address our core priorities and needs. 

The LDC expects a party driven work programme with scope and modalities that can facilitate a concrete outcome under CMA that contributes to advancing implementation.

Regarding the second review of the functions of the standing committee on finance, we are ready to continue engaging with parties but are also supportive of deferring this agenda item to a later session if progress during this SB session seems unlikely. 

On Just Transition,

One of the key outcomes from COP30 was the decision to develop a Just Transition Mechanism, marking the first step toward an institutional framework to support implementation. As we approach the review of the UAE Just Transition Work Programme, we must ensure it continue beyond 2026 with strengthened modalities that move from dialogue to implementation while operationalizing the Just Transition Mechanism in a complementary manner that avoids duplication and enhances coherence. 

At this session, we want to finalize the Terms of Reference for the review of the Work Programme.  Discussions on the mechanism remain at an early stage. However, we can begin to identify and build convergence around the basic elements of a Just Transition Mechanism (JTM). The Just Transition Mechanism must be LDC-responsive, implementation focused, and supported by means of implementation, and recognize special needs and circumstances of LDCs. The UAE Just Transition Work Programme must continue beyond 2026 with strengthened modalities. The Terms of Reference should be finalized at SB64.

On Global Stocktake, 

The LDC Group is committed to actively participating in UAE Dialogue on the implementation of the first GST outcome with a view to advancing the implementation of the first GST outcome. The NDC Global Stocktake Dialogue is an opportunity to share how global stocktake outcome has informed NDC preparations and challenges and gaps with NDC. 

We are rapidly approaching the launch of the technical phase of the second GST (GST2), the LDC believes it is essential that the IPCC AR7 cycle aligns with GST2 and that reports should be made available in time to serve as inputs to the GST. While we understand that decisions on the IPCC timeline will take place in that process, it is imperative to flag this at this time.3

On loss and damage, 

While there is no agenda item on this issue at SB64, loss and damage remains a critical issue, as LDCs  are facing the rapidly escalating consequences of climate change, resulting in losses and damages to infrastructure, lives, livelihoods, ecosystems and ways of life. 

We fully intend to continue pressing forward on the loss and damage agenda item at this SBs, it remains a critical issue. We will ensure loss and damage is considered in the upcoming GST dialogue and continue to progress on LDC priorities through the FRLD, Santiago Network, and WIM ExCom.

On transparency, 

The LDC Group is committed to working constructively toward a robust, solutions-oriented decision that enables all LDCs to strengthen their national systems and thereby report consistently on climate action and support. This support should be accessible, long term and predictable with special considerations for LDCs. Building on the information generated by the series of activities to understand experiences and challenges, Parties must now collectively design concrete next steps to ensure effective and universal participation of developing countries in the enhanced transparency framework.

On Capacity-Building, 

For LDCs, capacity-building remains a foundational means of implementation. We call for strengthened, country-driven and long-term capacity-building support that enables implementation of NDCs and NAPs, enhances access to climate finance and technology, and addresses the persistent capacity gaps faced by the most vulnerable countries through the capacity-building framework.

On Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE),

The midterm review of the Glasgow Work Programme on Action for Climate Empowerment at SB64 presents an important opportunity to strengthen one of the key enablers of climate ambition and implementation. While progress has been made, significant gaps remain in the provision of financial, technical and capacity-building support, as well as in monitoring the effectiveness and impact of ACE activities. The LDC Group expects this review to provide a clear pathway towards a strengthened, implementation-oriented and results-driven future action plan that supports national ACE systems, strengthens coordination and accountability, and ensures adequate means of implementation for developing countries, particularly LDCs. For our Group, translating ACE from awareness into measurable implementation outcomes remains a priority.

We also emphasise that ACE should be understood and implemented as a whole-of-society agenda. The future action plan should promote inclusive participation across all segments of society, ensuring that all people can effectively contribute to and benefit from climate action.

On agriculture,

For the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), agriculture is not only a source of livelihoods but also the foundation of food security, economic stability, and community resilience. Yet, the agriculture sector is among the most vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change. Increasingly frequent droughts, floods, desertification, land degradation, and unpredictable rainfall patterns are already undermining agricultural productivity, threatening food security, and exacerbating poverty and vulnerability across our countries.

As we convene at SB64, we underscore the urgent need to strengthen climate-resilient agricultural systems and safeguard food security for the millions of people whose livelihoods depend on agriculture. Achieving this will require scaled-up and accessible climate finance, technology transfer, capacity-building, and strengthened support for adaptation, particularly for smallholder farmers, women, youth, pastoralists, and local communities. The LDC Group reiterates that enhancing resilience in agriculture and food systems is essential for achieving sustainable development, adapting to climate change, and addressing the growing impacts of climate-induced loss and damage. We call on Parties to translate commitments into concrete action and support, ensuring that the most vulnerable countries are equipped to build resilient and sustainable food systems for present and future generations.

On gender and climate change, 

Gender equality remains central to effective climate action. For Least Developed Countries, women and girls are disproportionately affected by climate change, yet they remain critical agents of resilience, adaptation, and sustainable development. At this SB session, the LDC Group emphasizes the importance of advancing the implementation of the Belém Gender Action Plan through strengthened gender-responsive climate finance, enhanced capacity-building, improved collection and use of gender-disaggregated data, and greater participation and leadership of women in climate decision-making processes. We further call for the systematic integration of gender considerations across adaptation, mitigation, just transition, and loss and damage discussions. Delivering on these priorities is essential to ensuring that climate action is inclusive, effective, and responsive to the realities faced by vulnerable communities in LDCs.

On technology, 

On the host of the climate technology centres, selection of the CTC host is very important for LDCs because we would like a smooth transition to a new host and to avoid the gap once the MOU of the Current Host (UNEP) expires in February 2027. This will also enable the CTCN to effectively adopt its additional functions from COP30  in Belem, Brazil. 

The linkages between Technology Mechanism and Financial Mechanism are critical for LDCs to facilitate mobilisation or requisite financial resources for technology development and transfer through enhanced cooperation and collaboration between the two mechanisms. Without financial resources, the identified climate technology priorities of the developing countries may not be delivered appropriately. The collaboration of these two entities is essential to see the impact of the technology mechanism on the ground.

LDCs believe that the Joint Annual Report (JAR 2025) needs to be concluded during these SBs in order to leave space for the discussion of the 2026 Joint Annual Report. The  TEC and the CTCN build their progress based on the lessons learnt and the recommendations of the JAR report. Any delay of the conclusion of this agenda item could impact the  CTCN work.

Closing

As we begin our work at SB64, the LDC Group stands ready to engage constructively with all Parties to advance ambitious, equitable and science-based outcomes. We urge all Parties to demonstrate the spirit of cooperation and urgency required by the scale of the climate challenge before us.