COP 28/CMA 5 (30 November –13 December) 

Loss and damage fund and funding arrangements 

COP 28 and CMA 5 welcomed the report of the Transitional Committee containing recommendations on the operationalization of the funding arrangements for responding to loss and damage referred to in paragraph 2 of decisions 2/CP.27 and 2/CMA.4, including the Fund referred to in paragraph 3 and took note with appreciation of the work of the Transitional Committee in responding to its mandate. COP 28 and CMA 5 also approved the Governing Instrument of the Fund, decide that it will be serviced by a new, dedicated and independent secretariat, governed and supervised by a Board and that it will serve as an operating entity of the Financial Mechanism. COP 28 and CMA 5 further welcomed and confirmed the recommendations of the Transitional Committee in relation to the funding arrangements, including that the Fund will act as the platform for facilitating coordination and complementarity by establishing and operationalizing a high-level dialogue. 

Santiago network for technical assistance under the WIM 

CMA 5 finalized the process for the selection of a host of the Santiago network secretariat, selecting the joint proposal submitted by the consortium of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction and the United Nations Office for Project Services for an initial term of five years, with five-year renewal periods and adopted the relevant Memorandum of Understanding. CMA 5 also requested the consortium an analysis of the cost-effectiveness, including a cost–benefit analysis, of various locations around the world as options for the location of the head office of the Santiago network secretariat for consideration and decision by the Advisory Board at its 1st meeting, and encouraged the consortium to promptly launch work under the Santiago network. COP 28 endorsed the decision taken by CMA 5. 

Executive Committee of the WIM 

CMA 5 welcomed the 2023 WIM ExCom report and endorsed all the recommendations contained therein. CMA 5 requested the ExCom, inter alia, to consider ways to collaborate with the entities of the funding arrangements, including a fund, established in paragraphs 2–3 of decisions 2/CP.27 and 2/CMA.4 and to report on the outcomes in its annual reports. CMA 5 also requested the ExCom to engage actively in the work under the Santiago network and collaborate with the Advisory Board of the Santiago network through its representation. COP 28 endorsed the decision taken by CMA 5. 

In the context of the outcome of the first global stocktake, CMA.5 requested the ExCom to prepare, building on the work of its expert groups, technical expert group and task force, voluntary guidelines for enhancing the collection and management of data and information to inform the preparation of biennial transparency reports and to consider a synthesis report on information on loss and damage provided by Parties in their biennial transparency reports and other national reports under the Paris Agreement, to be prepared by the secretariat.  

For additional details see: 

Decision 1/CMA.5 Outcome of the first global stocktake  

Decision 2/CP.28 and 5/CMA.5 Operationalization of the new funding arrangements, including a fund, for responding to loss and damage referred to in paragraphs 2–3 of decisions 2/CP.27 and 2/CMA.4 

Decision 6/CMA.5, endorsed by Decision 2/CP.28 Santiago network for averting, minimizing and addressing loss and damage under the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage associated with Climate Change Impacts 

Decision 7/CMA.5, endorsed Decision 3/CP.28 Report of the Executive Committee of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage associated with Climate Change Impacts 

WIM ExCom report 2023, Add.1 and Add. 2

COP 27/CMA 4  (6 –18 November)

Loss and damage funding arrangements and fund

COP 27 and CMA 4 decided to establish new funding arrangements for assisting developing countries in responding to loss and damage, including with a focus on addressing loss and damage. In this context, COP 27 and CMA 4 also decided to establish a fund. In order to operationalize these new funding arrangements and the fund, a Transitional Committee was established and tasked with preparing recommendations to be adopted by COP 28 and CMA 5.

Santiago network for technical assistance

CMA 4 finalized the institutional arrangements of the Santiago Network, including its terms of reference. Once operational, the Santiago network will have the following structure:

• A Secretariat that will facilitate its work and prepare annual reports;
• An Advisory Board to provide guidance and oversight on the effective implementation of the functions of the network;
• A network of member organizations, bodies, networks and experts covering a wide range of topics relevant to averting, minimizing and addressing loss and damage

CMA 4 provided guidance on the process for the selection of a host of the Santiago network secretariat, including a call for proposals to be submitted by 31 March 2023 by interested organizations, the establishment of an evaluation panel to select up to three proposals for the consideration by SB 58 (June 2023) for adoption at COP 28, and a request to the secretariat to draft a host agreement (MoU) with the proposer recommended at SB 58 for approval at COP 28. COP 27 endorsed the decision taken by CMA 4.

Executive Committee of the WIM

CMA 4 welcomed the 2022 WIM ExCom report and endorsed all the recommendations contained therein. Additionally, it welcomed the adoption of the second five-year rolling workplan of the ExCom, the third Plan of Action of the Task Force on Displacement and the second Plan of Action of the Technical Expert Group on Comprehensive Risk Management.

CMA 4 requested the ExCom, inter alia, to continue exploring further opportunities and modalities for engaging national stakeholders, including loss and damage contact points and national focal points. COP 27 endorsed the decision taken by CMA 4.

For additional details see:

Decision -/CMA.4, Decision -/CP.27 Report of the Executive Committee of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage associated with Climate Change Impacts

Decision -/CMA.4, Decision -/CP.27 Santiago network for averting, minimizing and addressing loss and damage under the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage associated with Climate Change Impacts

Decision -/CP.27 -/CMA.4 Funding arrangements for responding to loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, including a focus on addressing loss and damage

Sharm el-Sheikh Implementation Plan (CMA, COP)

WIM ExCom report 2022, Add. 1 and Add. 2

UN Climate Change Conference (2–13 December)

The subsidiary bodies undertook a mandated second review of the Warsaw International Mechanism and provided guidance on how the Mechanism could be strengthened, particularly by increasing collaboration and coordination across constituted bodies and organizations, under and outside the Convention and the Paris Agreement, to scale up the mobilization of resources, action and support for developing countries.

Recommendations enables Executive Committee, inter alia, to:

• Further engage and strengthen its dialogue with the Standing Committee on Finance (SCF) and liaise with the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to clarify how developing countries may access funding, and establish an expert group to advise the Excom on these and other work relating to enhancing action and support.

• Advance technical work within its thematic workstreams, including by launching the expert groups on slow onset events and non-economic losses, and develop technical guides.

As part of strengthening the Mechanism, the Santiago Network was established to catalyse technical assistance for the most vulnerable countries.

Parties are encouraged to make use of available support, and promote coherence and awareness for approaches to avert, minimize and address loss and damage, including by establishing a loss and damage contact point.

Discussion on the governance of the Mechanism, whether it operates under both the Convention and the Paris Agreement or under the Paris Agreement only, is to be resumed at the UN Climate Change Conference in 2020. The next review of the Mechanism will be held in 2024 and every five years thereafter. 

For additional details, see Decision 2/CMA.2.

The Task Force on Displacement (TFD) hosted a side event at COP25 to mark the launch of the second phase of the TFD, present the new Plan of Action and provide a sample of activities being implemented at the global, regional and national level.

2019 Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage review event (1 December)

The 2019 review considered progress in implementing the Executive Committees five-year rolling workplan and ways in which the Warsaw International Mechanism may be strengthened. As an input to the 2019 review, a technical paper was produced on sources of and modalities for accessing financial support, as provided through and outside of the Financial Mechanism, for addressing loss and damage associated with climate change impacts.

Several key activities in 2019 contributed towards the progress of the five-year rolling workplan of the Executive Committee, including:

• Compendium on Comprehensive Risk Management (CRM) approaches revised, providing a collection of good practices and lessons learned related to CRM approaches at different levels;
• First meeting of Technical Expert Group on CRM, and its plan of action approved for implementation;
• Stakeholder engagement workshop on strengthening the capacities for loss and damage observation and risk assessment;
• The plan of action for the second phase of implementation of the Task Force on Displacement was approved;
• Guest editors were selected for a special journal issue on ‘Slow Onset Events Related to Climate Change’ and there was a call for abstracts on enhancing knowledge and highlighting potential approaches to assess and address slow onset events at the local, national and regional levels.

For additional details of the progress made in 2019 by the Excom, see the 2019 Excom report.

UN Climate Change Conference (3–14 December)

The Task Force on Displacement completed its technical work, based on which the Executive Committee presented their report containing recommendations for integrated approaches to averting, minimizing and addressing loss and damage associated with the adverse impacts of climate change, and the mandate for the Task Force on Displacement was extended.

For additional details, see Decision 10/CP.24.

Guidelines for implementing the Paris Agreement were agreed at the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA). In relation to loss and damage, Parties were invited to prepare and provide information at future sessions, as part of the information related to climate change impacts and adaptation under Article 7 of the Paris Agreement, related to enhancing understanding, action, and support on averting, minimizing and addressing loss and damage associated with climate change impacts. As part of the global stock take on the implementation of the Paris Agreement and collective progress towards achieving its goals, the CMA agreed to establish a technical dialogue, taking into account efforts to avert, minimize and address loss and damage.

For additional details, see Decision 18/CMA.1 and Decision 19/CMA.1.

The Task Force on Displacement (TFD) hosted a side event at COP24 to discuss how the international community can support solutions to some of the key challenges of displacement related to the adverse effects of climate change and forge a comprehensive approach to preempt, plan for and address such displacement.

Suva Expert Dialogue (2–3 May)

Pursuant to the request by COP23, the secretariat organized an expert dialogue to explore a wide range of information, inputs and views on ways of facilitating the mobilization of expertise and enhancement of support, including finance, technology and capacity-building for averting, minimizing and addressing loss and damage related to climate change. The dialogue was organized under guidance by the SBI Chair and the Executive Committee, helping inform the technical paper on sources of finance for loss and damage.

For further information, see details of the Suva Expert Dialogue event and report.

A review of the scope of work undertaken on slow onset events as reported by partners in the slow onset events database was also produced.

For additional details of the progress made in 2018 by the Excom, see the 2018 Excom report.

COP23 (6–17 November)

The COP welcomed the progress made by the Executive Committee in operationalising the Fiji Clearing House for Risk Transfer and the Task Force on Displacement. The five-year rolling workplan of the Executive Committee was endorsed by Parties at the COP and the Executive Committee was encouraged to continue its development of the workplan and implementation of its initial two-year workplan.

The Executive Committee organized a side event at the COP on risk financing for slow onset events, to facilitate an insightful discussion on features of financial instruments and tools, as well as innovative ways for collaboration and partnerships to enhance action and support for addressing the risks of slow onset events.

For further details, see Decision 5/CP.23.

For additional details of the progress made in 2017 by the Excom, see the 2017 Excom report.

COP22 (4–18 November)

The COP welcomed the annual report of the Executive Committee and noted the significant progress in advancing the implementation of the initial two-year workplan of the Executive Committee. It requested the Executive Committee to continue to implement activities under this workplan.

The COP approved the indicative framework for the five-year rolling workplan of the Executive Committee as the basis for developing corresponding activities, starting at the first meeting of the Executive Committee in 2017. It requested the Executive Committee to include in its five-year rolling workplan:

• Relevant work for advancing the operationalisation of the mandates relating to a clearing house on risk transfer  and a task force on displacement;
• A strategic workstream to guide the implementation of the Warsaw International Mechanism’s function of enhancing action and support, including finance, technology, and capacity-building, to address loss and damage.

First review of the Warsaw International Mechanism (14 November)

Having considered the mandate, structure and effectiveness of the Warsaw International Mechanism, the COP recommended that there should be a process to periodically review the Mechanism, with the next review to be held in 2019.

As an input to the 2019 review, the COP requested the secretariat to prepare a technical paper elaborating the sources of financial support as provided through the Financial Mechanism, and finance available outside of the Financial Mechanism, for addressing loss and damage, as well as modalities for accessing such support.

For further details, see Decision 3/CP.22 and Decision 4/CP.22.

The Executive Committee also organised their first side event ‘Shining the Light on Non‐economic Losses Challenges, Risks and Lessons Learned for Addressing Them’, to showcase some of the challenges, risks and lessons learned with addressing non-economic losses associated with climate change impacts.

For additional details of the progress made in 2016 by the Excom, see the 2016 Excom report.

COP21 (30 November–11 December)

The Paris Agreement

The COP adopted the Paris Agreement and related decisions.

Article 8 of the Paris Agreement Parties recognized the importance of averting, minimizing and addressing loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, including extreme weather events and slow onset events, and the role of sustainable development in reducing the risk of loss and damage. Article 8 also identified areas of cooperation and facilitation to enhance understanding, action and support in this context.

The COP decided on the continuation of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage, following its review in 2016, and requested the Executive Committee to:

• Establish a clearing house for risk transfer that serves as a repository for information on insurance and risk transfer, in order to facilitate the efforts of Parties to develop and implement comprehensive risk management strategies;
• Establish a task force to complement, draw upon the work of and involve, as appropriate, existing bodies and expert groups under the Convention including the Adaptation Committee and the Least Developed Countries Expert Group, as well as relevant organizations and expert bodies outside the Convention, to develop recommendations for integrated approaches to avert, minimize and address displacement related to the adverse impacts of climate change.

For additional details, see the full text of the Paris Agreement  and Decision 2/CP.21.

Annual report of the Executive Committee

The COP welcomed with appreciation the launch of work of the Executive Committee and its report to the COP.

The COP adopted the recommendations contained in the report of the Executive Committee:

• Urge Parties to make available sufficient resources for the successful and timely implementation of the of the initial two-year workplan of the Executive Committee;
• Extend the term of office of members and Co-Chairs of the Executive Committee as a result of the late nominations of members to the Executive Committee.

For additional details of the progress made in 2015 by the Excom, see the 2015 Excom report.

COP20 (1–12 December)

The COP approved the initial 2-year workplan of the Executive Committee of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage. The full set of activities in the workplan is contained in annex II to the report of the Executive Committee to the COP.

The COP also finalized the organization and the governance of the Executive Committee. Key agreements include:

• The Committee shall be composed of:
  • 10 members from Annex I Parties;
  • 10 members from non-Annex I Parties, comprising two members each from the African, Asia-Pacific, and the Latin American and Caribbean States, one member from SIDS, one member from LDCs, and two additional members from non-Annex I Parties.

• The Committee may establish expert groups, subcommittees, panels, thematic advisory groups or task-focused ad hoc working groups, in an advisory role, to help execute the work of the Executive Committee.

For further details, see see Decision 2/CP.20.

SBSTA 40/SBI 40 (4 –15 June)

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 further details, see the conclusions adopted by the SBSTA and the SBI at their 40th sessions.

For additional details of the progress made in 2014 by the Excom, see the 2014 Excom report.

COP19 (11–22 November)

The COP established the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage to address loss and damage associated with the 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 and report annually to the COP. The first review of the Warsaw International Mechanism was scheduled for the 22^nd session of the COP in 2016.

For additional details, see Decision 2/CP.19.

2012

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

At the 37^th session of the SBI, Parties considered the 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 18^th session.

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

SBI 36 (14– 25 May)

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

Parties requested the Chair of the SBI to convene an informal pre-sessional meeting of Parties, in conjunction with its 37^th 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 36^th sessions.

2011

SBI 35 (27 November–3 December)

At the 35^th 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 35^th session, and draft decision forwarded to the COP for adoption at its 17^th session.

SBI 34 (6–17 June)

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.

2010

COP16 established a work programme to consider approaches to address loss and damage (Decision 1/CP.16).

2007

COP13 introduced the term ‘loss and damage’ explicitly for the first time, in the context of calls for enhanced action on adaptation (Decision 1/CP.13).