COP26 One Year On: Loss & Damage
Written by Bethany Tallis, Policy Team Volunteer
From heat waves and droughts across Europe and China, to flooding in Pakistan, and wildfires across the US, almost every inch of our globe has been touched by the devastating impacts of climate change. The negative consequences associated with climate change events is what we can refer to as ‘Loss and Damage’. Loss and damage includes the loss of life, loss of income, loss of habitat and even loss of cultural heritage (to name just a few). The loss and damage from climate change is growing on an annual basis, with the impacts felt most strongly among countries who have contributed the least to climate change.
At COP26, Scotland became the first country to pledge £1 million to ensure vulnerable communities can “prepare for and adapt to climate change, tackle structural inequalities and recover from climate induced loss and damage”. This blog will take a look at what was pledged during COP26, the action that has been taken since the historic Glasgow event, and the future steps required to ensure sustainable systems that can tackle loss and damage in the long-term.
The COP26 Pledge
In a ground-breaking announcement, the Scottish Government in 2021 became the first country to pledge green finance directly aimed at tackling loss and damage in least developed countries. The £1 million pledge was quickly doubled by the Scottish government to £2 million, with money going to the Climate Justice Resilience Fund, a charity geared towards combating climate change impacts through the empowerment of women, youth and Indigenous people.
The funding from the Scottish government has gone on to assist with efforts to address "climate-forced migration in the North American Arctic and Bay of Bengal". These efforts include providing basic provisions for climate refugees at two coastal locations in south-eastern Bangladesh. In addition, funds will seek to ensure communities can better plan for adapting to climate change while preserving cultural heritage and traditional knowledge. The money will also ensure families are better equipped to make decisions about migration, through offering skill development opportunities.
In addition to monetary support, a yearly conference coined the ‘Glasgow Dialogue’ was formed at COP26, to enable "Parties, relevant organizations and stakeholders” to regularly discuss how to fund activities to address loss and damage. The Glasgow Dialogue was formed in place of a targeted financing facility for loss and damage, and is intended to take place once a year, until 2024. During the 2022 Glasgow Dialogue it appears little progress was made to secure a formal mechanism to allow better funding for loss and damage.
Bridging the Gap from COP26 to COP27
Twelve months on from Scotland’s pledge, only Denmark has since pledged money specifically to fund loss and damage. The 100 million DKK ($13 million) funding will assist those in least developed countries to better insure their livelihoods against the impacts from climate related natural disasters. Although not a country, the Belgian region of Wallonia has also pledged to address loss and damage funding.
Climate finance has been a hot topic since COP26, however funding specifically earmarked to address loss and damage has been weak, potentially due to fears that funding the solutions to the damage admits liability, and ultimately risks countries "being sued by climate vulnerable nations".
COP27 and Beyond
On approach to COP27, it is clear that funding for loss and damage has taken a back-seat. What is needed at COP27 and beyond to ensure emerging economies can tackle loss and damage?
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon highlighted three "basic principles" required to address loss and damage:
Loss and Damage finance should be additional finance, rather than restructuring of previous climate change or green financing budgets.
A wide range of solutions to address loss and damage need to be considered, including those that address a loss of cultural heritage, loss of life and the disproportionate impact on women.
Action needs to be taken now, no matter how small.
In addition, some countries will continue to argue at COP27 that a Loss and Damage Finance Facility is necessary to enable action to be taken.
Regardless of the outcome surrounding funding for loss and damage at COP27, it is clear that the issue needs to be addressed sooner rather than later. My hope is that leaders step up to the plate in Egypt and deliver substantial, targeted funding for those most affected by climate change, but only time will tell if this is achieved.
Loss and damage is programmed to be addressed at COP27 on the 12th of November, as a feature of the Adaptation and Agriculture Day.