4 - 15 June (SBSTA 40/SBI 40)

At the 40th session of the SBSTA and the SBI, Parties initiated their consideration of the composition of, and procedures for, the Executive Committee of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage. Parties agreed to continue their consideration of this matter at SBSTA 41 and SBI 41, with a view to making recommendations thereon for adoption by COP 20 (December 2014).

For additional details see the conclusions adopted by the SBSTA and the SBI at their 40th session.            

11 - 22 November (SBI 39/COP 19)

The COP established the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage, under the Cancun Adaptation Framework, to address loss and damage associated with impacts of climate change, including extreme events and slow onset events, in developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.

The COP also established an Executive Committee to guide the implementation of functions of the Warsaw International Mechanism. The Executive Committee will report annually to the COP, and the COP will review the Warsaw International Mechanism at its 22^nd session (2016).

For additional details see the decision adopted by the COP at its 19th session.

26 November - 7 December (SBI 37/COP 18)

At the 37^th session of the SBI, Parties considered progress made by the work programme to date, and initiated the work on developing recommendations on loss and damage for consideration by the COP. The SBI decided to recommend the draft decision text for consideration and finalization by the COP at its 18th session.

For additional details see the conclusion adopted by the SBI at its 37th session.

At the 18^th Conference of the Parties, Parties decided as part of the Doha Climate Gateway to:

• Establish institutional arrangements to address loss and damage at COP 19;
• Hold an expert meeting to consider future needs;
• Prepare technical papers: One on non-economic losses, another one on gaps in existing institutional arrangements within and outside of the Convention.

For additional details see the decision adopted by the COP at its 18^th session.

24 November

A pre-sessional informal meeting of Parties on loss and damage took place on 24 November. Parties welcomed information arising from the implementation of the work programme to date, and exchanged views on the possible recommendations on loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change.

14 - 25 May (SBI 36)

At the 36th session of the SBI, Parties considered progress made to date in the implementation of the work programme, with a view to making recommendations to the COP at its 18th session.

Parties requested the Chair of the SBI to convene an informal pre-sessional meeting of Parties, in conjunction with its 37th session, to exchange further views on the possible recommendations on loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change.

For additional details see the conclusion adopted by the SBI at its 36th session

At the 35th session of the SBI, Parties considered further activities to be undertaken in the period up to COP 18, based on the submission and a synthesis report on views and information on the thematic areas to be addressed in the implementation of the work programme, and the outcomes of the workshop on risk management approaches to the adverse effects of climate change, providing useful inputs into the implementation of the work programme on loss and damage.

Parties decided to recommend a draft decision for adoption by the COP at its 17^th session, containing agreements to:

• address issues related to thematic area 1 at the expert meeting to be held before SBI 36 (May 2012);
• prepare a technical paper to feed into the expert meeting, mentioned above;
• organize four expert meetings, three at the regional level and one for small island developing States before SBI 37 (December 2012), to address issues related to thematic area 2;
• prepare a technical paper on slow onset events, taking into consideration the outcomes of the expert meetings, mentioned above;
• conduct a literature review of existing information and case studies on the topics in the context of thematic area 2;
• invite Parties and relevant organizations and other stakeholders to submit views and information on the possible elements to be included in the recommendations on loss and damage in accordance with decision 1/CP.16.

Parties also invited organizations to provide financial and technical support for the implementation of the activities of the work programme.

For additional details see the draft conclusions adopted by the SBI at its 35th session, and draft decision forwarded to the COP for adoption at its 17^th session.

6-17 June (SBI 34)

At the thirty-fourth session of the SBI (June 2011), Parties considered submissions (from Parties, IGOs and NGOs) and a synthesis report on views and information on elements to be included in the work programme, and agreed on the following thematic areas to be addressed in the implementation of the work programme:

• Thematic area 1: Assessing the risk of loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change and the current knowledge on the same;
  
• Thematic area 2: A range of approaches to address loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, including impacts related to extreme weather events and slow onset events, taking into consideration experience at all levels;
  
• Thematic area 3: The role of the Convention in enhancing the implementation of approaches to address loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change.

Parties also agreed to consider additional activities, at subsequent sessions, including by taking into account, as appropriate:

• The outcomes of the workshop to identify challenges and gaps in the implementation of risk management approaches to the adverse effects of climate change (FCCC/SBI/2010/27, paragraph 86);
• The outcomes of the initial activities undertaken in the context of the work programme;
• Inputs from processes relevant to this issue.

In the context of the work programme, the SBI invited relevant organizations and other stakeholders to undertake further actions to assist Parties to enhance understanding of, and expertise that will help to address, loss and damage associated with the adverse effect of climate change, and encouraged them to share the outcomes of their activities.

Furthermore, in order to enhance understanding of the three thematic areas, the SBI:

• Invited Parties and relevant organizations to submit to the secretariat, by 15 August 2011, further views and information on these areas;
• Requested the secretariat to explore the possibility of convening an expert meeting before SBI 36 with experts nominated by Parties, relevant organizations and other stakeholders.

For additional details see the report of the SBI 34 (paragraphs 106-116), held in Bonn, Germany, from 6 to 17 June 2011.