Scaling up Climate Action against Loss and Damage

The session highlights the growing impact of climate change in Asia-Pacific, which is only expected to grow with increasing intensity and complexity. Acknowledging the climate emergency, manifested in loss and damage, efforts are being made through new facilities for technical assistance and funding to address loss and damage. The recently established Santiago network and Fund for responding to Loss and Damage are positive developments. However, accelerated action is needed to quickly and fully operationalize these mechanisms, and implement them in close synergy with each other, and with related disaster risk reduction actions. The session will provide an update on the roll-out process of these mechanisms and discuss challenges and opportunities in doing so in the region.

Loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change continue to intensify, challenging the capacity of countries and communities to cope and address them. 

At the same time, the momentum to accelerate action to avert, minimize and address loss and damage continues to grow following years of efforts in this direction at various levels. Thus, the loss and damage landscape continue to evolve, manifested in recently established mechanisms:

i.    The Santiago network was established under the Warsaw International Mechanism for loss and damage (WIM) in 2019 (COP 25/CMA 2) to enhance the capacities of developing countries particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change, through technical assistance, to avert, minimize and address loss and damage. The uniqueness of the Santiago network lies in its operational model - to catalyze the technical assistance of relevant organizations, bodies, networks, and experts (OBNEs) to assist countries and communities on loss and damage action. This will be done by connecting those seeking technical assistance with the providers of technical assistance based on country- and demand-driven needs. At COP28, UNDRR and UNOPS were selected as the host of the Santiago network secretariat.
ii.    In 2022 at COP27 countries agreed to establish funding arrangements for responding to loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, including a focus on addressing loss and damage. The decision to establish new funding arrangements included a designated fund for loss and damage and broader funding arrangements to mobilize additional finance for addressing loss and damage. In July 2024, at the second meeting of the Board of the Fund for responding to loss and damage, the Board decided to select the Philippines as the host country of the Board of the Fund.

These loss and damage mechanisms are stipulated to work in coordination. This is expected to be done by aligning technical assistance catalysed under the Santiago network with the programmatic approaches of the Fund and the funding arrangements.

The fact that technical assistance under the Santiago network can catalyse action and support also creates a linkage. Countries can utilize technical assistance that targets specific gaps that need to be plugged in order to best design and access financial resources from a wide range of sources of which the loss and damage fund is one.

As these mechanisms are being operationalized, for instance building the network of members of the Santiago network and putting in place the modalities for receiving and responding to requests for technical assistance, it will be critical to understand the capacity gaps, needs and opportunities related to averting, minimizing and addressing loss and damage faced by developing countries, including the needs of vulnerable people, indigenous peoples and local communities.