Climate change affects livelihoods, lives, societies, and natural ecosystems in ways that exceed the limits of adaptation and overwhelm the coping capacities of vulnerable communities, groups, and countries. Treating loss & damage (L&D) as the third pillar of the Paris Agreement besides mitigation and adaptation is a key challenge for COP27 and beyond. It is important that all stakeholders push for enhanced recognition of L&D in negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and commitments for tangible support including in the form of new and additional funding for L&D, technical assistance, knowledge-sharing, and technology transfer.
In the negotiations and actions to address climate-induced loss and damage, it is of vital importance that the needs of vulnerable communities and ecosystems of the developing countries are addressed. To this end, it is extremely important for developing countries to be able to engage effectively in the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage associated with Climate Change Impacts, the Santiago Network for Loss and Damage, the Glasgow Dialogue, and other relevant processes and mechanisms to highlight their need to access and receive support including climate finance that addresses L&D.
Civil society organizations are key stakeholders which can play a role in advocating for effective scaled-up support to address climate induced losses and damages; scaled-up, new and additional climate finance for L&D; capacity-building and providing technical support for policy and actions related to addressing L&D; enhancing awareness and empowering communities and those most vulnerable to climate change, contributing to long-term resilience to climate-induced losses and damages.
This knowledge product was developed as part of activities conducted by Southern Voices on Adaptation and SLYCAN Trust focusing on climate change adaptation and loss & damage needs and actions for enhanced engagement of civil society in climate action and resilience-building.
