Overview of the intergovernmental process

Recognizing the need to strengthen international cooperation and expertise in order to understand and reduce loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, the Conference of the Parties (COP) at the Cancun Climate Change Conference (COP16, 2010) established a work programme in order to consider approaches to address loss and damage associated with climate change impacts in developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change (decision 1/CP.16, paragraphs 25-29), as part of the Cancun Adaptation Framework. 

The COP, by the same decision, requested the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) to make recommendations on loss and damage to the COP for its consideration at COP 18.

Recent progress

Considering the outcomes of the implementation of the work programme to date, the COP at the Doha Climate Change Conference (COP18, 2012):

• Decided to establish, at COP19, institutional arrangements, such as an international mechanism to address loss and damage
• Agreed on the following interim activities:
  • Preparation of technical papers: One on non-economic losses and another on gaps in existing institutional arrangements within and outside of the Convention
  • Organization of an expert meeting to consider future needs, including capacity needs associated with possible approaches to address slow onset events

Parties will elaborate activities to further the understanding of and expertise on loss and damage at the next session (June 2013).

Overview of the implementation of the work programme

Since the launch of the work programme at COP16, a wide range of activities have been implemented. These and their associated outputs are summarized in the diagram below.

The table below provides links to further information related to the activities undertaken in 2012 as mandated by Decision 7/CP.17 (page 5 of the report of the COP 17).